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Inhibition of mixed leukocyte culture responses in cadmium-treated mice

Journal Article · · Environ. Res.; (United States)
 [1];
  1. Tulane Univ. School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA

Previous studies have documented inhibition of antibody-mediated immunity by exposure of experimental animals to heavy metals. To date, very little is known of possible effects of heavy metal ions cellular-mediated immunity. The mixed leukocyte culture (MLC) assay was used in this study to evaluate the effects on lymphocyte blastogenic response of chronic exposure to mice to cadmium (2 mg CdCl/sub 2//kg body wt/day). Spleen cells from two strains of mice treated with CdCl/sub 2/ were unable to respond as effectively as control normal spleen cells to stimulation with allogeneic leukocytes. Furthermore, X-irradiated splenocytes from the cadmium-stressed animals were less effective than splenocytes from control normal mice as stimulator cells in the MLC reaction. This comparative decrease in T-lymphocyte reactivity could not be attributed to loss of lymphocyte viability or to decrease in ability of lymphocytes from cadmium-treated animals to incorporate tritiated thymidine. Although spleen cells from cadmium-intoxicated mice responded poorly to stimulation with allogeneic leukocytes, they were capable of responding to a mitogenic stimulus. Possible explanations for these observations are discussed.

OSTI ID:
5653946
Journal Information:
Environ. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Res.; (United States) Vol. 27:2; ISSN ENVRA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English