Decreased antibody formation in mice exposed to lead

Evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of chemicals to humans

“…Mice exposed to 130 or 1300 mg/I lead acetate in drinking water showed decreased ß-Iymphocyte responsiveness and humoral antibody titres (Koller & Kovacic, 1974;Koller & Brauner, 1977). Similar findings were obtained by Luster et al (1978) in rats exposed to 25 or 50 mg/I lead acetate in drinking-water for 35-45 days.…”

Effects of polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) on immune response in rodents.

“…In this respect, Bonnyns and Botonsky (15) reported that treatment of rats with low levels of PCB enhances PHA reactivity of lymphocytes. Additionally, low level exposure to heavy metals such as lead (16), or cadmium (17) results in enhanced antibody response while higher levels exerts an immediate depressive effect (18,19).…”

Immune Suppression as Related to Toxicology

“…117 Exposure of mice to 1375, 137.5, or 13.75 ppm lead acetate in the drinking water resulted in each dose group in a significantly decreased number of antibody-forming cells to SRBC (IgM and particularly IgG); histopathological examination of the kidney disclosed a dose-related necrosis of tubular epithelial cells in the cortex. 118 In an extensive study by Trejo and co-workers 119 with adult rats that were given a single intravenous injection of 5 mg lead acetate, no effect was found on the primary and secondary antibody response to SRBC. A similar treatment with lead did, however, result in a significantly depressed intravascular clearance of colloidal carbon starting at 6 hr after lead treatment, thus contrasting with the enhanced susceptibility to endotoxin which occurs when lead and endotoxin are administered simultaneously.…”