Effects of lead exposure on neopterin levels in metal recycling sector workers

Lead is one of the life-threatening heavy metals that can be found in detectable concentrations in different compartments of the human body after exposure. In industry, lead is widely used in many areas such as battery, metal and mining. One of the important business lines in which occupational exposure to toxic metals, mainly lead, may occur is the "Recycling Sector". Neopterin is a pteridine derivative that can be used as an early biomarker in various disorders such as tissue rejection, human immunodeficiency virus, multi-organ failure, sepsis, and cancer. In addition to neopterin release, indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) enzyme, which plays a role in the rate-limiting step of the kynurenine pathway, is also induced by cellular immune activation. In this thesis, the relationship between blood lead levels and urinary neopterin, biopterin, manganese, cadmium and serum neopterin, kynurenine and tryptophan concentrations were evaluated in participants working in the recycling industry. It was found that urinary neopterin, lead, manganese and cadmium levels changed significantly with the increase in blood lead levels (all; p<0.05). Within the scope of the thesis, it was determined that exposure to heavy metals, especially lead, in the recycling sector affects the pteridine and kynurenine pathways. Keywords: Lead, Neopterin, Recycling Industry, Metal Toxicity