Isocyanates are a family of highly reactive, low molecular weight chemicals.
They are widely used in the manufacture of:
- foams,
- fibers,
- paints,
- varnishes and elastomers,
and are increasingly used in:
- insulation materials,
- car seats,
- surface coatings,
- furniture,
- foam mattresses,
- under-carpet padding,
- packaging materials,
- shoes,
- laminated fabrics, and adhesives,
- auto body repair,
- and the automobile industry.
Many spray-on polyurethane products contain isocyanates and are used privately and commercially to protect cement, wood, fiberglass, steel and aluminum, and for the protective coatings for truck beds, trailers, boats, foundations, and decks.
Occupational exposure to toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and other isocyanates can cause irritation of the mucous membranes, eyes, upper respiratory tract, and skin.
In a study of workers exposed to diisocyanates, IgG antibodies were somewhat more prevalent than IgE; IgG antibodies were detected in 24% of symptomatic workers and 17% of asymptomatic workers.
In a study on apprentice car-painters, a small proportion showed increases in hexamethylene diisocyanates-specific IgG and IgE after a few months of exposure. Furthermore, increases in specific IgG and IgG4 appear to have a protective effect on the incidence of work-related lower and upper respiratory symptoms, respectively. These antibodies can remain for years after removal of the chemical from the
patient’s environment.
One study on occupational exposure of TDI showed that serum levels of specific IgG antibodies were significantly higher in subjects showing a positive response in a TDIbronchoprovocation test (46%) compared with subjects exhibiting a negative TDI-bronchoprovocation test response (7.7%).
In a subsequent study, patients with TDI-occupational asthma with high serum IgG to tissue transglutaminase (tTG) had significantly lower methacholine PC20 values; thus TDI exposure may increase tTG activity via reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, leading to persistent airway inflammation in these patients. The detection of serum specific IgG is helpful for diagnosing isocyanate-induced asthma in that the test can be used to document exposure and monitor subclinical conditions.
Quick List Sources of Isocyanate:
- Polyurethane foams, carpet padding
- Pesticides
- Paints
- Automobiles
- Protective coatings on cement, wood, fiberglass, steel, aluminum, truck beds, decks, boats, trailers.
- Adhesives Insulation
- Plastics
References:
- Orloff KG, Batts-Osborne D, Kilgus T, et al. Antibodies to toluene diisocyanate in an environmentally exposed population. Environ Health Perspect, 1998; 106(10):665-666.
- Dragos M, Jones M, Malo JL, et al. Specific antibodies to diisocyanate and work-related respiratory symptoms in apprentice car-painters. Occup Environ Med, 2009; 66(4):227-234.
- Park HS, Lee SK, Lee YM, et al. Longitudinal study of specific antibodies to toluene diisocyanate (TDI)-human serum albumen (HSA) conjugate in patients with TDI-induced asthma. Korean J Intern Med, 2002; 17(4):249-251.
- Hur G-Y, Choi SJ, Shin SY, et al. Update on the pathogenic mechanisms of isocyanate-induced asthma. World Allergy Org J, 2008; 1(1):15-18.
- Hur G-Y, Kim SH, Park SM, et al. Tissue transglutaminase can be involved in airway inflammation of toluene diisocyanate-induced occupational asthma. J Clin Immunol, 2009; 29(6):786-794.
- Palikhe NS, Kim JH, Park HS. Biomarkers predicting isocyanate-induced asthma. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res, 2011; 3(1):21-26.
Isocyanate IgG+IgA
Every lab result you’ve ever had, charted and explained.
Healthmatters is a tracker for your lab results. Upload a report from any lab, any country — every marker charted and explained.
Start with my report →
All our content is backed by peer-reviewed studies, academic research, and trusted medical sources. We’re committed to accuracy and transparency — see our editorial policy for details.