Relationships between Lifestyle—Related Factors and Immune Parameters in Middle—Aged Male Workers

Yumiko NAKANO; Katashi ANDO; Seiichi NAKAMURA; Mamoru HIRATA; Toshiaki YOSHIDA; Ichiro MATUNAGA; Hajime ODA; Yoshihiko NAITO; Sinichi SATO; Masahiko KIYAMA; Minoru IIDA

doi:10.1539/joh.43.321

Yumiko NAKANO, Katashi ANDO, Seiichi NAKAMURA, Mamoru HIRATA, Toshiaki YOSHIDA, Ichiro MATUNAGA, Hajime ODA, Yoshihiko NAITO, Sinichi SATO, Masahiko KIYAMA, Minoru IIDA

Author information

Yumiko NAKANO
Division of Industrial Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Higashinari, Osaka 5370025, Japan
Katashi ANDO
Division of Industrial Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Higashinari, Osaka 5370025, Japan
Seiichi NAKAMURA
Division of Industrial Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Higashinari, Osaka 5370025, Japan
Mamoru HIRATA
Division of Industrial Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Higashinari, Osaka 5370025, Japan
Toshiaki YOSHIDA
Division of Industrial Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Higashinari, Osaka 5370025, Japan
Ichiro MATUNAGA
Division of Industrial Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Higashinari, Osaka 5370025, Japan
Hajime ODA
Division of Industrial Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Higashinari, Osaka 5370025, Japan
Yoshihiko NAITO
Department of Epidemiology and Mass Examination for Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases
Sinichi SATO
Department of Epidemiology and Mass Examination for Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases
Masahiko KIYAMA
Department of Epidemiology and Mass Examination for Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases
Minoru IIDA
Department of Epidemiology and Mass Examination for Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases

Keywords: Male worker, Lifestyle, Lymphocyte proliferation, Interferon-γ, IL-4, Health, Stress

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2001 Volume 43 Issue 6 Pages 321-330

DOI https://doi.org/10.1539/joh.43.321

Details

Published: 2001 Received: November 29, 2000 Available on J-STAGE: April 07, 2006 Accepted: July 27, 2001 Advance online publication: - Revised: -
Correction information
Date of correction: April 07, 2006 Reason for correction: - Correction: ABSTRACT Details: Wrong : Relationships between Lifestyle—Related Factors and Immune Parameters in Middle-Aged Male Workers: Yumiko NAKANO et al. Division of Industrial Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health—Recent studies have demonstrated that unhealthy lifestyles and stress act as risk factors for various cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular disorders and cancer. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of individual lifestyle and comprehensive lifestyle practices on T cell function in peripheral blood lymphocytes in 291 middle—aged male workers belonged to 4 occupational groups: selfemployed men (I), employees of a television station (II), local civil servants (III) and workers in a manufacturing factory (IV). The proliferative responsiveness of the lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was measured by the incorporation of radiolabeled thymidine by stimulated lymphocytes in vitro. Interferon—γ(IFN—γ, T helper type 1 cytokine) and interleukin-4 (IL—4; T helper type 2 cytokine) production from the stimulated lymphocytes were measured by quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay. Interviews by means of questionnaires including 19 items related to lifestyles, work stress, life event and health condition were performed. Subjects were classified into groups reporting healthy and unhealthy lifestyles according to their responses to the individual questionnaire. Then, the relationships between these lifestyle practices and the immune parameters were analyzed at the level of the occupational groups and the pooled subjects. The average number of unhealthy practices differed significantly among occupational groups, i.e., higher in the order of I, II, III and IV. Significantly negative correlations were observed between the number of unhealthy lifestyle practices and the PHA responses both at the level of the occupational groups and the pooled subjects. In contrast, there was no significant difference in IFN—γ production among occupational groups, though the group I showed a somewhat low tendency. The levels of IL—4 in group I were noticeably higher than that in the other groups. It may be possible that severe suppression of cell—mediated immunity changes the balance of T cell subsets from T helper type 1 to T helper type 2. For each lifestyle practice, subjects reporting “healthy” practices on 7 items showed significantly greater proliferative response to PHA than those reporting unhealthy practices. Subjects reporting “healthy&rdqip: practices on two items showed significantly lower levels of IL-4 compared with those reporting unhealthy practices. A 1.5—yr follow up study performed in the subjects with low PHA responses showed that the reduction of unhealthy lifestyle practices significantly improved the PHA responses. Consequently, the present study suggests that the individual unhealthy lifestyle practices may act on the immune system cumulatively, and the measurement of PHA response may be used to evaluate the lifestyle practices of middle—aged male workers at both the individual and the occupational group level. (J Occup Health 2001; 43: 321-330)
Right : Relationships between Lifestyle—Related Factors and Immune Parameters in Middle-Aged Male Workers: Yumiko NAKANO et al. Division of Industrial Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health—Recent studies have demonstrated that unhealthy lifestyles and stress act as risk factors for various cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular disorders and cancer. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of individual lifestyle and comprehensive lifestyle practices on T cell function in peripheral blood lymphocytes in 291 middle—aged male workers belonged to 4 occupational groups: selfemployed men (I), employees of a television station (II), local civil servants (III) and workers in a manufacturing factory (IV). The proliferative responsiveness of the lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was measured by the incorporation of radiolabeled thymidine by stimulated lymphocytes in vitro. Interferon—γ(IFN—γ, T helper type 1 cytokine) and interleukin-4 (IL—4; T helper type 2 cytokine) production from the stimulated lymphocytes were measured by quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay. Interviews by means of questionnaires including 19 items related to lifestyles, work stress, life event and health condition were performed. Subjects were classified into groups reporting healthy and unhealthy lifestyles according to their responses to the individual questionnaire. Then, the relationships between these lifestyle practices and the immune parameters were analyzed at the level of the occupational groups and the pooled subjects. The average number of unhealthy practices differed significantly among occupational groups, i.e., higher in the order of I, II, III and IV. Significantly negative correlations were observed between the number of unhealthy lifestyle practices and the PHA responses both at the level of the occupational groups and the pooled subjects. In contrast, there was no significant difference in IFN—γ production among occupational groups, though the group I showed a somewhat low tendency. The levels of IL—4 in group I were noticeably higher than that in the other groups. It may be possible that severe suppression of cell—mediated immunity changes the balance of T cell subsets from T helper type 1 to T helper type 2. For each lifestyle practice, subjects reporting “healthy” practices on 7 items showed significantly greater proliferative response to PHA than those reporting unhealthy practices. Subjects reporting “healthy” practices on two items showed significantly lower levels of IL-4 compared with those reporting unhealthy practices. A 1.5—yr follow up study performed in the subjects with low PHA responses showed that the reduction of unhealthy lifestyle practices significantly improved the PHA responses. Consequently, the present study suggests that the individual unhealthy lifestyle practices may act on the immune system cumulatively, and the measurement of PHA response may be used to evaluate the lifestyle practices of middle—aged male workers at both the individual and the occupational group level. (J Occup Health 2001; 43: 321-330)

Date of correction: April 07, 2006 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : 1) Morimoto K. Theoretical and practical perspectives of occupational stress research-Toward a new theory of mental health based on individual variations-. Job Stress Res 1994; 1: 49-63.
2) Bosma H, Peter R, Siegrist J, Marmot M. Two alternative job stress models and the risk of coronary heart disease. Am J Public Health 1998; 88: 68-74.
3) Schnall PL, Landsbergis PA. Job strain and cardiovascular disease. Ann Rev Public Health 1994; 15: 318-411.
4) Moynihan JA, Ader R. Psychoneuroimmunology: animal models of disease. Psychosom Med 1996; 58: 546-558.
5) Heitier E, Ayala J, Denefle P, et al. Brain macrophages synthesize interleukin-1 and interleukin-1 mRNAs in vitro. J Neuroscience Research 1988; 21: 391-397.
6) Besedovsky HO, del Rey A, Sorkin E, Dinarello CA. Immunoregulatory feedback between interleukin-1 and glucocorticoid hormones. Science 1986; 233: 652-654.
7) Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Glaser R, Strain EC, et al. Modulation of cellular immunity in medical students. J Behav Med 1986; 9: 5-21.
8) Kusaka Y, Kondou H, Morimoto K. Healthy lifestyle are associated with higher natural killer cell activity. Preventive Medicine 1992; 21: 602-615.
9) Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Garner W, Speicher C, Penn GM, Holloday J, Glaser R. Psychosocial modifiers of immunocompetence in medical students. J Psychosom Med 1984; 46: 7-14.
10) Theorell T, Orth-Gomer K, Eneroth P. Slow-reacting immunoglobulin in relation to social support and changes in job strain: a preliminary note. Psychosom Med 1990; 52: 511-516.
11) Shirakawa T, Morimoto K. Lyfestyle effect on total IgE. Allergy 1991; 46: 561-569.
12) Mosmann TR, Sad S. The expanding universe of T cell subsets: Th1, Th2 and more. Immunology Today 1996;17:138-146.
13) Barker E, Mackewicz CE, Levy JA. Effects of TH1 and TH2 Cytokines on CD8+ cell response against human immunodeficiency virus: implications for long term survival. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1995; 92: 1135-1139.
14) Pham Nguyen KB, Yang W, Saxena R, Thung S N, Woo SL, Chen SH. Role of NK and T cells in IL-12-induced anti-tumor response against hepatic colon carcinoma. Int J Cancer 1999; 81: 813-819.
15) Maggi E, Parrinchi P, Manetti R, et al. Reciprocal regulatory effects of IFN-gamma and IL-4 on the in vitro development of human Th 1 and Th2 clone. J Immunol 1992; 148: 2142-2130.
16) Decker D, Schondorf M, Bidlingmaier F, Hirner A, von Ruecker AA. Surgical stress induces shift in type-1/ type-2 helper T-cell balance, suggesting down regulation of cell-mediated and up-regulation of antibody-mediate immunity commensurate to the trauma. Surgery 1996; 119: 316-325.
17) Pedersen BK, Nieman DC. Exercise immunity: integration and regulation. Immunology Today 1998; 19:204-206.
18) Hersey P, Prendergast D, Edwards A. Effects of cigarette smoking on the immune system. Follow-up studies in normal subjects after cessation of smoking. Med J Aust 1983; 2: 425-429.
19) Brown R, Pang G, Husband AJ, King MG. Suppression of immunity to influenza virus infection in the respiratory tract following sleep disturbance. Reg Immunol 1989; 2: 321-325.
20) Schleifer SJ, Keller SE, Camerino M. Suppression of lymphocyte stimulation following bereavement. JAMA 1983;250:374-377.
21) Chandra RK. Nutrition and the immune system: an introduction. Am J Clin Nutr 1997; 66: 460S-463S.
22) Purasiri P, Mckechnie A, Heys SD, Eremin O. Modulation of in vitro of human natural cytotoxity, lymphocyte proliferative response to mitogens and cytokine production by essential fatty acids. Immunology 1997; 92: 166-172.
23) Nieman DC. Obesity is related to suppressed mitogen induced lymphocyte proliferation and higher normal NK cell activity. J Appl Physiol 1997; 82: 1385-1394.
24) Dobbs CM, Feng N, Beck FM, Sheridan JF. Neuroendocrine regulation of cytokine production during experimental influenza viral infection. J Immunol 1996; 157: 1870-1877.
25) Beregi E, Regius 0, Rajczy K, Boross M, Pizes L. Effect of cigarette smoke and 2-mercaptoethanol administration on age-related alterations and immunological parameters. Gerontology. 1991; 37: 326-334.
26) Nakano Y, Miura T, Hara I, et al. The Effect of Shift Work on Cellular Immune Function. J Human Ergol 1982; 11 (Suppl): 131-137.
27) Nakano Y, Nakamura S, Hirata M, et al. Immune function and lifestyle of Taxi drivers in Japan. Industrial Health 1998; 36: 32-39.
28) Berkman LF, Breslow L. Health and ways of living. The Alameda Country study. NY: Oxford University Press, 1983.
29) Karasek R A. Job demands, job decision latitude and mental strain: Implications for job re-design. Adm Sci Q 1979; 24: 285-308.
30) Holmes TH, Rahe RH. The social readjustment rating scale. J Psychosom Res 1969; 11: 213-218.
31) Ader R. Psychoneuroimmunology. 2^nd ed. NY: Academic Press, 1991.
32) Glaser R, Rice J, Sheridan J, et al. Stress-related immune suppression: Health implication. Brain Behav Immune 1987; 1: 7-11.
33) Keller SE, Schlerfer SJ, Bartlett JA, Eckholdt H. Affective processes and immune dysfunction have health consequences. Biological Psychiatry 1992; 31: 236A.
34) Leonard BE, Miller K. Stress, the immune system and psychiatry. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1995.
35) Pawelec G, Adibzadeh M, Solana R, Beckman I. The T cell in the ageing individual. Mech Ageing Dev 1997; 93: 35-45.
36) Brostoff J, Scadding GK, Male DK, Roitt IM. Clinical Immunology Mosby: Year Book Europe Ltd, 1991.
37) Beem EE, Hooijkaas H, Cleiren MH, et al. The immunological and psychological effects of bereavement: does grief counseling really make a difference? A pilot study. Psychiatry Res 1999; 85: 81-93.
38) Palmblad J, Petrini B, Wasserman J, Akerstedt T. Lymphocyte and granulocyte reactions during sleep deprivation. Psychosom Med 1979; 41: 273-278.
39) Venjatraman JT, Fernandes G. Exercise, immunity and aging. Aging 1997; 9: 42-56.
40) Hough HJ, Failla ML, Ludwig DA. Active lifestyle offsets HRT-induced suppression of T cell reactivity to mitogens. Maturitas 1999; 33: 211-218.
41) Fleshner M, Watkins LIZ, Lookwood LL, Bellgrau D, Landenslager ML, Maier SF. Specific changes in lymphocytes subgroups: A potential mechanism of stress-induced suppression. J Neuroimmunol 1992; 41: 131-142.
42) Westermann J, Pabst R. Lymphocyte subsets in the blood: a diagnostic window on the lymphoid system?. Immunology Today 1990; 11: 406-410.
43) Ginaldi L, De Martinis M, DOstilio A, Marini L, Loreto s in the elderly. Aging 1999; 11: 281-286.
44) Lazarus RS. Puzzles in the study of daily hassle. J Behav Med 1984; 7: 375-389.
45) Hurrell JJ, McLaney MA. Exposure to job stress-a new psychometric instrument. NIOSH 1988; 14 (Supple. 1): 27-28.
46) Morimoto K, Maruyama S, Ezoe S. Quantitative assessment of stressors and stress reactions. In: T. Furukawa (Eds.), High technology, population wealth and health. Tokyo: Maruzen Planet, 1995.
47) Goldberg DP, Hillier VE. A scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire. Psychol Med 1979; 9: 139-145.
48) Northoff H, Weinstock C, Berg A. The cytokine response to strenuous exercise. Int Sports Med 1994; 15 Suppl: S167-S171.
49) Marshall G D, Agarwal SK, Lloid C, Cohen L, Henninger EM, Norris GJ. Brain Behav Immun 1998; 12:297-307.
50) Setsuda J, Teruya Feldstein J, Harris NL, et al. Interleukin-18, interferon-gamma, IP-10, and Mig expression in Epstein-Barr virus-induced infectious mononucleosis and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease. Am J Pathol 1999; 155: 257-265.
51) Eksi S, Wassom DL, Powell MR. Host genetics and resistance to acute Tripanosoma cruzi infection in mice: profiles and compartmentaliszation of IL-2-, -4-, -5-, 10 and IFN-gamma-producing cells. J parasitol 1996; 82: 59-65.
52) Paganelli R, Scala E, Rosso R, et al. A shift to Th0 cytokine production by CD4₊ cells in human longevity: studies on two healthy centenarians. Eur J Immunol 1996;26:2030-2034.
53) Simonsick EM. Personal health practices and mental health in a national probability sample. Am J Prev Med. 1991;7:425-437.
54) Irie M, Miyata M, Nagata S, Mishima N, Ikeda M, Hirayama S. The relationship between workers'' attitude towards health, lifestyle and mental health. San Ei Shi 1997; 39: 107-115 (in Japanese).
55) Leonard BE, Song C. Stress and the immune system in the etiology of anxiety and depression. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1996; 54: 299-303.

Right : 1) Morimoto K. Theoretical and practical perspectives of occupational stress research-Toward a new theory of mental health based on individual variations-. Job Stress Res 1994; 1: 49-63.
2) Bosma H, Peter R, Siegrist J, Marmot M. Two alternative job stress models and the risk of coronary heart disease. Am J Public Health 1998; 88: 68-74.
3) Schnall PL, Landsbergis PA. Job strain and cardiovascular disease. Ann Rev Public Health 1994; 15: 318-411.
4) Moynihan JA, Ader R. Psychoneuroimmunology: animal models of disease. Psychosom Med 1996; 58: 546-558.
5) Heitier E, Ayala J, Denefle P, et al. Brain macrophages synthesize interleukin-1 and interleukin-1 mRNAs in vitro. J Neuroscience Research 1988; 21: 391-397.
6) Besedovsky HO, del Rey A, Sorkin E, Dinarello CA. Immunoregulatory feedback between interleukin-1 and glucocorticoid hormones. Science 1986; 233: 652-654.
7) Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Glaser R, Strain EC, et al. Modulation of cellular immunity in medical students. J Behav Med 1986; 9: 5-21.
8) Kusaka Y, Kondou H, Morimoto K. Healthy lifestyle are associated with higher natural killer cell activity. Preventive Medicine 1992; 21: 602-615.
9) Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Garner W, Speicher C, Penn GM, Holloday J, Glaser R. Psychosocial modifiers of immunocompetence in medical students. J Psychosom Med 1984; 46: 7-14.
10) Theorell T, Orth-Gomer K, Eneroth P. Slow-reacting immunoglobulin in relation to social support and changes in job strain: a preliminary note. Psychosom Med 1990; 52: 511-516.
11) Shirakawa T, Morimoto K. Lyfestyle effect on total IgE. Allergy 1991; 46: 561-569.
12) Mosmann TR, Sad S. The expanding universe of T cell subsets: Th1, Th2 and more. Immunology Today 1996;17:138-146.
13) Barker E, Mackewicz CE, Levy JA. Effects of TH1 and TH2 Cytokines on CD8+ cell response against human immunodeficiency virus: implications for long term survival. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1995; 92: 1135-1139.
14) Pham Nguyen KB, Yang W, Saxena R, Thung S N, Woo SL, Chen SH. Role of NK and T cells in IL-12-induced anti-tumor response against hepatic colon carcinoma. Int J Cancer 1999; 81: 813-819.
15) Maggi E, Parrinchi P, Manetti R, et al. Reciprocal regulatory effects of IFN-gamma and IL-4 on the in vitro development of human Th 1 and Th2 clone. J Immunol 1992; 148: 2142-2130.
16) Decker D, Schondorf M, Bidlingmaier F, Hirner A, von Ruecker AA. Surgical stress induces shift in type-1/ type-2 helper T-cell balance, suggesting down regulation of cell-mediated and up-regulation of antibody-mediate immunity commensurate to the trauma. Surgery 1996; 119: 316-325.
17) Pedersen BK, Nieman DC. Exercise immunity: integration and regulation. Immunology Today 1998; 19:204-206.
18) Hersey P, Prendergast D, Edwards A. Effects of cigarette smoking on the immune system. Follow-up studies in normal subjects after cessation of smoking. Med J Aust 1983; 2: 425-429.
19) Brown R, Pang G, Husband AJ, King MG. Suppression of immunity to influenza virus infection in the respiratory tract following sleep disturbance. Reg Immunol 1989; 2: 321-325.
20) Schleifer SJ, Keller SE, Camerino M. Suppression of lymphocyte stimulation following bereavement. JAMA 1983;250:374-377.
21) Chandra RK. Nutrition and the immune system: an introduction. Am J Clin Nutr 1997; 66: 460S-463S.
22) Purasiri P, Mckechnie A, Heys SD, Eremin O. Modulation of in vitro of human natural cytotoxity, lymphocyte proliferative response to mitogens and cytokine production by essential fatty acids. Immunology 1997; 92: 166-172.
23) Nieman DC. Obesity is related to suppressed mitogen induced lymphocyte proliferation and higher normal NK cell activity. J Appl Physiol 1997; 82: 1385-1394.
24) Dobbs CM, Feng N, Beck FM, Sheridan JF. Neuroendocrine regulation of cytokine production during experimental influenza viral infection. J Immunol 1996; 157: 1870-1877.
25) Beregi E, Regius 0, Rajczy K, Boross M, Pizes L. Effect of cigarette smoke and 2-mercaptoethanol administration on age-related alterations and immunological parameters. Gerontology. 1991; 37: 326-334.
26) Nakano Y, Miura T, Hara I, et al. The Effect of Shift Work on Cellular Immune Function. J Human Ergol 1982; 11 (Suppl): 131-137.
27) Nakano Y, Nakamura S, Hirata M, et al. Immune function and lifestyle of Taxi drivers in Japan. Industrial Health 1998; 36: 32-39.
28) Berkman LF, Breslow L. Health and ways of living. The Alameda Country study. NY: Oxford University Press, 1983.
29) Karasek R A. Job demands, job decision latitude and mental strain: Implications for job re-design. Adm Sci Q 1979; 24: 285-308.
30) Holmes TH, Rahe RH. The social readjustment rating scale. J Psychosom Res 1969; 11: 213-218.
31) Ader R. Psychoneuroimmunology. 2^nd ed. NY: Academic Press, 1991.
32) Glaser R, Rice J, Sheridan J, et al. Stress-related immune suppression: Health implication. Brain Behav Immune 1987; 1: 7-11.
33) Keller SE, Schlerfer SJ, Bartlett JA, Eckholdt H. Affective processes and immune dysfunction have health consequences. Biological Psychiatry 1992; 31: 236A.
34) Leonard BE, Miller K. Stress, the immune system and psychiatry. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1995.
35) Pawelec G, Adibzadeh M, Solana R, Beckman I. The T cell in the ageing individual. Mech Ageing Dev 1997; 93: 35-45.
36) Brostoff J, Scadding GK, Male DK, Roitt IM. Clinical Immunology Mosby: Year Book Europe Ltd, 1991.
37) Beem EE, Hooijkaas H, Cleiren MH, et al. The immunological and psychological effects of bereavement: does grief counseling really make a difference? A pilot study. Psychiatry Res 1999; 85: 81-93.
38) Palmblad J, Petrini B, Wasserman J, Akerstedt T. Lymphocyte and granulocyte reactions during sleep deprivation. Psychosom Med 1979; 41: 273-278.
39) Venjatraman JT, Fernandes G. Exercise, immunity and aging. Aging 1997; 9: 42-56.
40) Hough HJ, Failla ML, Ludwig DA. Active lifestyle offsets HRT-induced suppression of T cell reactivity to mitogens. Maturitas 1999; 33: 211-218.
41) Fleshner M, Watkins LIZ, Lookwood LL, Bellgrau D, Landenslager ML, Maier SF. Specific changes in lymphocytes subgroups: A potential mechanism of stress-induced suppression. J Neuroimmunol 1992; 41: 131-142.
42) Westermann J, Pabst R. Lymphocyte subsets in the blood: a diagnostic window on the lymphoid system?. Immunology Today 1990; 11: 406-410.
43) Ginaldi L, De Martinis M, DOstilio A, Marini L, Loreto s in the elderly. Aging 1999; 11: 281-286.
44) Lazarus RS. Puzzles in the study of daily hassle. J Behav Med 1984; 7: 375-389.
45) Hurrell JJ, McLaney MA. Exposure to job stress-a new psychometric instrument. NIOSH 1988; 14 (Supple. 1): 27-28.
46) Morimoto K, Maruyama S, Ezoe S. Quantitative assessment of stressors and stress reactions. In: T. Furukawa (Eds.), High technology, population wealth and health. Tokyo: Maruzen Planet, 1995.
47) Goldberg DP, Hillier VE. A scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire. Psychol Med 1979; 9: 139-145.
48) Northoff H, Weinstock C, Berg A. The cytokine response to strenuous exercise. Int Sports Med 1994; 15 Suppl: S167-S171.
49) Marshall G D, Agarwal SK, Lloid C, Cohen L, Henninger EM, Norris GJ. Brain Behav Immun 1998; 12:297-307.
50) Setsuda J, Teruya Feldstein J, Harris NL, et al. Interleukin-18, interferon-gamma, IP-10, and Mig expression in Epstein-Barr virus-induced infectious mononucleosis and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease. Am J Pathol 1999; 155: 257-265.
51) Eksi S, Wassom DL, Powell MR. Host genetics and resistance to acute Tripanosoma cruzi infection in mice: profiles and compartmentaliszation of IL-2-, -4-, -5-, 10 and IFN-gamma-producing cells. J parasitol 1996; 82: 59-65.
52) Paganelli R, Scala E, Rosso R, et al. A shift to Th0 cytokine production by CD4₊ cells in human longevity: studies on two healthy centenarians. Eur J Immunol 1996;26:2030-2034.
53) Simonsick EM. Personal health practices and mental health in a national probability sample. Am J Prev Med. 1991;7:425-437.
54) Irie M, Miyata M, Nagata S, Mishima N, Ikeda M, Hirayama S. The relationship between workers' attitude towards health, lifestyle and mental health. San Ei Shi 1997; 39: 107-115 (in Japanese).
55) Leonard BE, Song C. Stress and the immune system in the etiology of anxiety and depression. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1996; 54: 299-303.

Date of correction: April 07, 2006 Reason for correction: - Correction: PDF FILE Details: -

Abstract

Relationships between Lifestyle—Related Factors and Immune Parameters in Middle-Aged Male Workers: Yumiko NAKANO et al. Division of Industrial Health, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health—Recent studies have demonstrated that unhealthy lifestyles and stress act as risk factors for various cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular disorders and cancer. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of individual lifestyle and comprehensive lifestyle practices on T cell function in peripheral blood lymphocytes in 291 middle—aged male workers belonged to 4 occupational groups: selfemployed men (I), employees of a television station (II), local civil servants (III) and workers in a manufacturing factory (IV). The proliferative responsiveness of the lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was measured by the incorporation of radiolabeled thymidine by stimulated lymphocytes in vitro. Interferon—γ(IFN—γ, T helper type 1 cytokine) and interleukin-4 (IL—4; T helper type 2 cytokine) production from the stimulated lymphocytes were measured by quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay. Interviews by means of questionnaires including 19 items related to lifestyles, work stress, life event and health condition were performed. Subjects were classified into groups reporting healthy and unhealthy lifestyles according to their responses to the individual questionnaire. Then, the relationships between these lifestyle practices and the immune parameters were analyzed at the level of the occupational groups and the pooled subjects. The average number of unhealthy practices differed significantly among occupational groups, i.e., higher in the order of I, II, III and IV. Significantly negative correlations were observed between the number of unhealthy lifestyle practices and the PHA responses both at the level of the occupational groups and the pooled subjects. In contrast, there was no significant difference in IFN—γ production among occupational groups, though the group I showed a somewhat low tendency. The levels of IL—4 in group I were noticeably higher than that in the other groups. It may be possible that severe suppression of cell—mediated immunity changes the balance of T cell subsets from T helper type 1 to T helper type 2. For each lifestyle practice, subjects reporting “healthy” practices on 7 items showed significantly greater proliferative response to PHA than those reporting unhealthy practices. Subjects reporting “healthy” practices on two items showed significantly lower levels of IL-4 compared with those reporting unhealthy practices. A 1.5—yr follow up study performed in the subjects with low PHA responses showed that the reduction of unhealthy lifestyle practices significantly improved the PHA responses. Consequently, the present study suggests that the individual unhealthy lifestyle practices may act on the immune system cumulatively, and the measurement of PHA response may be used to evaluate the lifestyle practices of middle—aged male workers at both the individual and the occupational group level. (J Occup Health 2001; 43: 321-330)

Corresponding author

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