Immunologic effects of nickel. 1. Suppression of cellular and humoral immunity
The effects of nickel chloride on the cellular and humoral immune responses of mice were studied. A single intramuscular injection of nickel chloride (18.3 mg/kg) caused a significant involution of the thymus within 2 days following treatment. Significant reductions in the in vitro mitogen-stimulated response of lymphocytes from nickel chloride-treated mice (24 hr following a single injection of 18.3 or 36.6 mg/kg) were observed for the T-cell mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A), and the B- and T-cell mitogen pokeweed mitogen (PWM) but not the B-cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Theta-positive but not Ig-positive spleen cells were significantly reduced in nickel-treated mice compared with controls. Significant suppression of the primary antibody response to the T-cell dependent antigen sheep red blood cells was observed following a single injection of 18.3 mg/kg NiCl/sub 2/. Natural killer (NK) cell activity was significantly suppressed following a single injection of 18.3 mg/kg NiCl/sub 2/. The administration of NiCl/sub 2/ (18.3 mg/kg) also decreased the amount of endotoxin required to kill 50% of treated mice, although this was not statistically significant. In all cases the immunosuppressive effects of NiCl/sub 2/ were found to be transient with responses returning to normal within a few days. No alteration in the response of mice immunized with the T-cell independent antigen polyvinylpyrrolidone was observed following treatment with nickel. Furthermore, the phagocytic capacity of resident peritoneal macrophages from nickel-treated mice was not significantly different from saline-injected mice. The results indicate that NiCl/sub 2/ predominantly affects T-cell mediated immune responses and natural killer cells.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
- OSTI ID:
- 7012227
- Journal Information:
- Environ. Res.; (United States), Vol. 33:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
NICKEL CHLORIDES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
RETICULOENDOTHELIAL SYSTEM
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION
ANTIGEN-ANTIBODY REACTIONS
IMMUNE REACTIONS
INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTION
MACROPHAGES
MICE
MITOGENS
THYMUS CELLS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BODY
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INJECTION
INTAKE
MAMMALS
NICKEL COMPOUNDS
PHAGOCYTES
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
TISSUES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)