Abstract
Exposure to occupational hazards like dust, pesticides, diesel emission particles, or physical hazards in the agricultural sector is known to cause adverse health effects on farm workers. Our study aimed at addressing the association of immunomodulatory status with plasma levels of lung cancer biomarkers in farming population, attempting to recognition of vulnerable farming group. Blood samples from apparently healthy 51 chicken husbandry, 19 grape orchard, and 21 rose greenhouse workers were subjected to evaluate plasma levels of two representative lung cancer biomarkers, pro-gastrin releasing peptide (Pro-GRP) and cytokeratin fragment 19 (CYFRA 21-1). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from farmers were used for natural killer (NK) cell phenotyping and cytokines (interferon-gamma, IFN-γ and interleukin-13, IL-13) profiling in the culture supernatant. Compared to the rose greenhouse farmers, the grape orchard and chicken husbandry workers revealed a significantly upregulated plasma Pro-GRP and CYFRA 21-1 level. A low proportion of NK cells was observed among the female grape orchard workers and a lowered IFN- γ:IL-13 ratio was seen in the grape and chicken husbandry workers than the rose workers. Our findings imply that grape orchard and chicken husbandry workers have more disturbed immune homeostasis implicated with augmentation in the levels of lung cancer biomarkers than the rose greenhouse workers.