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Query: UMLS:C0037116 (silicosis)
 1,822 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

An inquiry into the relation between exposure to silica dust, the presence of silicosis, and progressive systemic sclerosis was conducted in white South African gold miners by means of a case-control study. Seventy nine cases of progressive systemic sclerosis were matched by year of birth with an equal number of control miners selected randomly but bearing in mind the administrative channel through which the case had come to be identified. Analysis showed no association between silicosis and PSS but did show that the cumulative life time silica exposure was significantly higher in the cases compared with controls. This difference was due to a difference in the intensity of exposure to silica during mining service rather than a difference in duration of service. The results are discussed in the context of current thought on the aetiology of progressive systemic sclerosis, particularly in relation to autoimmune and genetic factors.
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PMID:Silica, silicosis, and progressive systemic sclerosis. 300 Apr 15

It is well known that patients with silicosis are frequently associated with hyperglobulinemia, RA or PSS. It is also suggested that silica can drive and activated the immune system. In this study, we intended to measure the percentage of CD4+CD45RA+ cells in the peripheral blood of patients with silicosis and to investigate whether silica can actually activate human lymphocytes in vitro or not. Peripheral blood from 45 patients with silicosis was stained with OKT4 and 2H4 monoclonal antibodies, and measured by FACS analysis at 1st day and also checked similarly after 6 days-incubation without patients' sera. The intracellular Ca++ level was also checked after incubation with the normal human lymphocytes with silica by FACS analysis, using Fluo3-AM. CD4+CD45RA+ T cells decreased significantly in number. One to 5 minutes after the incubation with silica, intracellular Ca++ level increased markedly, which means the activation of lymphocytes in vitro. These results revealed that silica can activate human lymphocytes in vitro, but the role in vivo remains to be clarified.
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PMID:[The analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with silicosis and effects of silica in vitro]. 898 15