[Evaluation of recent thymic output function in benzene-exposed workers].

Objective: To analyze the content of signal joint T-cell receptor excision DNA circles signal joint T-cell receptor excision DNA circles (sjTRECs) within peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), thereby to infer the level of naive T cells and the recent thymic output function in benzene-exposed workers.

Methods: Quantitative detection of sjTRECs in DNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 11 normal individuals and 62 benzene-exposed workers were performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and TaqMan technique.

Results: The median value of sjTRECs copies/1,000 PBMCs was 7.81 in normal individuals whereas it was 2.56 copies/1 000 PBMCs in age-unadjusted benzene-exposed workers (P < 0.01). And its levels were obviously different between two different age groups: that in 30-year-old group (1.76 copies/1,000 PBMCs, n = 23) was less than
Conclusions: Benzene exposure may influence the recent thymic output function, and the sjTRECs levels may relate with the age of benzene-exposed workers.