In vitro responsiveness of lymphocytes to phytohemmagglutinin

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Arch. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1978.10667310· OSTI ID:6803079

Peterson, M L; Rommo, N; House, D; Harder, S

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 20 human subjects exposed to 784 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/ ozone for 4 hours, and from 11 subjects exposed to clean air for the same length of time were studied for in vitro responsiveness to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Thymus-derived (T) lymphocyte response to PHA (normal response is proliferation of lymphocytes) was significantly suppressed (P < .01) in samples obtained immediately after subjects' exposure to ozone. Recovery of response occurred 2 weeks postexposure. Responses were unchanged in subjects exposed to clean air. Existing studies suggest that ozone exposure may generate free radicals or other reactive molecules or both that could be responsible for immediate changes in metabolic events leading to blockage or inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis in T lymphocytes as shown in this study. It is possible that some prerequisite to active cell metabolism such as ribonucleic acid (RNA) may be impaired by ozone exposure. The significance of the suppression of T-cell response noted in this study is that: (1) if continuous exposures to ozone are shown to induce an immunosuppressed state for a significant time period, an important factor in carcinogenesis might be elucidated; (2) immunosuppression may cause a progression of an already present tumor; (3) immunosuppression may enable endogenous latent infection such as tuberculosis to reactivate; and (4) immunosuppression may explain in part the relationship between chronic oxidant air pollution and influenza-like illnesses in population.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, NC
• OSTI ID: 6803079
• Journal Information: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 33:2; ISSN AEHLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550600* -- Medicine
560306 -- Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AGGLUTININS
AIR
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARCINOGENESIS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DISEASES
DNA
FLUIDS
GASES
HEMAGGLUTININS
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION
IN VITRO
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
INFLUENZA
INHIBITION
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
LYMPHOCYTES
MAMMALS
MAN
METABOLISM
MITOGENS
MUCOPROTEINS
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OZONE
PATHOGENESIS
PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ
POLLUTION
POLYSACCHARIDES
PRIMATES
PROTEINS
RADICALS
RNA
SACCHARIDES
SOMATIC CELLS
SYNTHESIS
THYMUS
THYMUS CELLS
TUBERCULOSIS
VERTEBRATES