Skip to main content
PMC home page
Clinical and Experimental Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Experimental Immunology
. 1981 Jan;43(1):189–194.

Immune responses of rats chronically fed subclinical doses of lead.

A Bendich, E H Belisle, H R Strausser
PMCID: PMC1537135  PMID: 6972839

Abstract

The effects of chronic feeding of low levels of lead on various cells of the rat immune system have been investigated. In the presence of Con A and PHA, lead appears to increase blastogenesis up to approximately 5 weeks with activity approaching that of the unleaded control cells at 14 weeks. B cells responded with increased mitogenicity in the presence of LPS up to the time of termination of the experiment (14 weeks). Macrophage activity and number in the lead-fed rat showed consistent decrease and eventual morphological impairment. It is hypothesized that lead has mitogen-like activity but disruption of macrophage-T cell interaction occurs with time.

Full text

PDF
190

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bingham E., Pfitzer E. A., Barkley W., Radford E. P. Alveolar macrophages: reduced number in rats after prolonged inhalation of lead sesquioxide. Science. 1968 Dec 13;162(3859):1297–1299. doi: 10.1126/science.162.3859.1297. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cramér K., Goyer R. A., Jagenburg R., Wilson M. H. Renal ultrastructure, renal function, and parameters of lead toxicity in workers with different periods of lead exposure. Br J Ind Med. 1974 Apr;31(2):113–127. doi: 10.1136/oem.31.2.113. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. GREENGARD J., ADAMS B., BERMAN E. ACUTE LEAD ENCEPHALOPATHY IN YOUNG CHILDREN. J Pediatr. 1965 Apr;66:707–711. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(65)80004-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Gaworski C. L., Sharma R. P. The effects of heavy metals on [3H]thymidine uptake in lymphocytes. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1978 Nov;46(2):305–313. doi: 10.1016/0041-008x(78)90076-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hart D. A. Augmentation of zinc ion stimulation of lymphoid cells by calcium and lithium. Exp Cell Res. 1979 Jul;121(2):419–425. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(79)90024-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hemphill F. E., Kaeberle M. L., Buck W. B. Lead suppression of mouse resistance to Salmonella typhimurium. Science. 1971 Jun 4;172(3987):1031–1032. doi: 10.1126/science.172.3987.1031. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Holt P. G., Keast D. Environmentally induced changes in immunological function: acute and chronic effects of inhalation of tobacco smoke and other atmospheric contaminants in man and experimental animals. Bacteriol Rev. 1977 Mar;41(1):205–216. doi: 10.1128/br.41.1.205-216.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Koller L. D., Exon J. H., Roan J. G. Humoral antibody response in mice after single dose exposure to lead or cadmium. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1976 Feb;151(2):339–342. doi: 10.3181/00379727-151-39205. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Koller L. D. Immunosuppression produced by lead, cadmium, and mercury. Am J Vet Res. 1973 Nov;34(11):1457–1458. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Koller L. D., Kovacic S. Decreased antibody formation in mice exposed to lead. Nature. 1974 Jul 12;250(462):148–150. doi: 10.1038/250148a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Luster M. I., Faith R. E., Kimmel C. A. Depression of humoral immunity in rats following chronic developmental lead exposure. J Environ Pathol Toxicol. 1978 Mar-Apr;1(4):397–402. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Reiter L. W., Anderson G. E., Laskey J. W., Cahill D. F. Developmental and behavioral changes in the rat during chronic exposure to lead. Environ Health Perspect. 1975 Dec;12:119–123. doi: 10.1289/ehp.7512119. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Selye H., Tuchweber B., Bertók L. Effect of lead acetate on the susceptibility of rats to bacterial endotoxins. J Bacteriol. 1966 Feb;91(2):884–890. doi: 10.1128/jb.91.2.884-890.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Settle D. M., Patterson C. C. Lead in albacore: guide to lead pollution in Americans. Science. 1980 Mar 14;207(4436):1167–1176. doi: 10.1126/science.6986654. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Trejo R. A., Di Luzio N. R., Loose L. D., Hoffman E. Reticuloendothelial and hepatic functional alterations following lead acetate administration. Exp Mol Pathol. 1972 Oct;17(2):145–158. doi: 10.1016/0014-4800(72)90064-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. WILLIAMS H. W., CARAWAY W. T., DE YOUNG W. A. Inactivation of antibodies, a causative factor of brain pathology in acute lead intoxication. AMA Arch Neurol Psychiatry. 1954 Nov;72(5):579–582. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Clinical and Experimental Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES