Association of low job control with a decrease in memory (CD4+ CD45RO+) T lymphocytes in Japanese middle-aged male workers in an electric power plant

To clarify the relationship between perceived job stress and lymphocyte subpopulations, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 231 male electric power plant workers (aged 40 to 60, mean 46 years). Job stress, i.e., job control, job demands, and social support at work, was assessed by means of the Japanese version of the Job Content Questionnaire. Blood samples were taken from all the workers, and numbers of CD4+ T lymphocyte subpopulations, total CD4+ T, T (CD3+) lymphocytes, CD16CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells, total lymphocytes, and white blood cells were determined. After controlling for age, number of cigarettes smoked per day, alcohol drinking, frequency of regular exercise, job demands, and social support at work by the partial correlation coefficients, numbers of memory (CD4+ CD45RO+) T, total CD4+ T, and total T (CD3+) lymphocytes were positively correlated with job control (p<0.05). Neither job demands nor social support at work showed significant correlations with lymphocyte subpopulations. It is suggested that lower job control is associated with a decrease in the number of CD4+ CD45RO+ T lymphocytes in male middle-aged workers.