Abstract
In 54 tunnel mining workers and 71 normal male subjects, we examined the levels of serum protease inhibitors such as α1antitrypsin (α1-AT), α1antichymotrypsin (α1-X), antithrombin III (ATIII), inter-α-trypsin inhibitor (IαTi), α2macroglobulin (α2-M) and Clsinhibitor (Cli) using micro single radial immunodiffusion methods.
1. The levels of α1X were significantly (p<0.05) lower in workers than in normal male subjects, while levels of Cli were significantly (p<0.05) higher in such workers than in the normal control. The values of α1AT, ATIII, IαTi and α2M tended to be lower in workers than in normal subjects.
2. The values of IαTi, α1X and Cli changed significantly (p<0.05) among three stages of pneumoconiosis (PR2, PR3, PR4).
3. In tunnel mining workers the changes of Cli significantly (P<0.05) correlated with those of FEV 1.0% and the same trend was seen in the case of ATIII versus FEV 1.0% (P<0.1).
4. Regression analysis of the values of those protease inhibitors revealed a significantly positive correlation among protease inhibitors such as α1-AT-α2-M-ATIII, ATIII-α2M-Cli, α1X-IαTi and α1X-Cli. Partial regression analysis of the values of ATIII showed a negative correlation tendency with years exposed to earth dust and the same trend was seen between α1X and pack years smoked.
In our results and those reported in allied literature we discuss the important role of protease inhibitors in tunnel mining workers.
