Cadmium-induced immunosuppression and splenomegaly in mice
Metals, both as essential trace elements and environmental contaminants, have recently been demonstrated to inflict deleterious effects upon the immune response to various antigens in several different experimental animals. Daily intraperitoneal injections of CdCl/sub 2/ (2 ppM) for 1 month severely suppressed the primary (IgM) and secondary (IgG) immune response to SRBC antigen in B10-A 2R mice. After a 2-month withdrawal from the metal, a partial recovery of the secondary response was evident, while the primary response remained notably compromised in the cadmium-treated mice. Examination of the Cd-treated animals revealed the presence of unusually enlarged spleens that were two to three times heavier than corresponding controls. Histologic findings revealed complete loss of normal splenic architecture with flooding of the red pulp by small lymphocytes, large blastoid cells, and numerous PMNs and megakaryocytes. A macrophage peroxidase stain indicated an increase in this cell type (15% reticuloendothelial cells versus 1% in controls), but not nearly enough to explain the observed splenomegaly. An immune adherence assay performed on spleen sections from Cd-treated mice displayed a diffused, heavy positive adherence of IgG or complement-sensitized SRBCs, as compared to only marginal and perifollicular adherence in control sections. Finally, direct immunofluorescence with goat antimouse IgM and IgG demonstrated a weak 1+ reading on the cells comprising the white pulp in control spleens. These B lymphocyte areas in Cd-treated mice appeared larger and tended to ''spill over'' into the red pulp. Furthermore, large groups of 3+ fluorescent cells dotted the major part of white pulp tissue and were found scattered throughout the red pulp. These data would implicate the B lymphocyte as responsible for the splenic hyperplastic changes in the Cd-intoxicated animals.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
- OSTI ID:
- 7302748
- Journal Information:
- Am. J. Pathol.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Pathol.; (United States) Vol. 86:2; ISSN AJPAA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
ANTIGENS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CADMIUM
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
HISTOLOGY
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPHOCYTES
MAMMALS
METALS
MICE
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
SPLEEN
SPLENOMEGALY
SYMPTOMS
VERTEBRATES