Immunotoxicity activity

Gasiorowski K, Brokos JB, Szyba K, et al Evaluation of genotoxic and immunotoxic activities of potential glucose biosensor components ferrocenes. Biometals 12 19-26, 1999... 

Dioxins are prominent members of the class of polychlorinated hydrocarbons that also includes diben-zofuran, biphenyls and others. Dioxins are highly toxic environmental contaminants. Like others small planar xenobiotics, some dioxins bind with high affinity to the arylhydrocarbon (Ah) receptor. Dioxins activate the receptor over a long time period, but are themselves poor substrates for the enzymes which are induced via the Ah-receptor. These properties of the dioxins and related xenobiotics may be important for the toxicity of these compounds. Dioxins like 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-p-dibenzodioxin can cause persistent dermatosis, like chloracne and may have other neurotoxic, immunotoxic and carcinogenic effects. 

Male mice exposed to 7.3 mg/kg/day for 13 weeks had significantly decreased spleen weights and decreased neutrophil counts (Hoechst 1984b), indicating that immune activity in mice may also be affected. An intermediate-duration oral MRL of 0.005 mg/kg/day was derived based on the NOAEL of 0.45 mg/kg/day for immunotoxicity identified in the Banerjee and Hussain (1986) study. In support of these positive findings, Khurana et al. (1998) observed decreased macrophage functionality, in the absence of any other apparent toxicological effects, in 1-day-old broiler chicks fed 30 ppm endosulfan in the diet for 4 or 8 weeks. 

Bartlett A, Dearden JC, Sibley PR. Quantitative structure-activity relationships in the prediction of penicillin immunotoxicity. Quant Struct-Act Relat 1995 14 258-63. 

Immunotoxicity. The data in humans are limited to a few studies of immune function in lead workers and a study of firearm instructors. In both type of studies, inhalation is assumed to be the primary route of exposure. One study reported significant suppression of IgA levels (Ewers et al. 1982). Another study indicated that serum immunoglobulin levels were not significantly altered (Alomran and Shleamoon 1988). Another large study examined several parameters of immune function (serum immunoglobulins, PHA response, and natural killer cell activity) and found no differences in exposed workers and controls (Kimber et al. 1986b). The study of firearm instructors found functional impairment of cell-mediated immunity in subjects with PbB levels >25 pg/dL (Fischbein et al. 1993). A recent study that evaluated a... 

Goven, A.J., S.C. Chen, L.C. Fitzpatrick, and B.J. Venables. 1994. Lysozyme activity in earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) coelomic fluid and coelomocytes enzyme assay for immunotoxicity of xenobiotics. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 13 607-613. 

In all tested organisms, PCBs — especially PCBs with 2,3,7,8-TCDD-like activity — adversely affected patterns of survival, reproduction, growth, metabolism, and accumulation. Common manifestations of PCB exposure in animals include hepatotoxicity (hepatomegaly, necrosis), immunotox-icity (atrophy of lymphoid tissues, suppressed antibody responses), neurotoxicity (impaired behavior and development, catecholamine alterations), increased abortion, low birth weight, embryolethality, teratogenicity, gastrointestinal ulceration and necrosis, bronchitis, dermal toxicity (chloracne, edema,... 

Selgrade, M.K., Daniels, M.J. and Dean, J.H., Correlation between chemical suppression of natural killer cell activity in mice and susceptibility to cytomegalovirus rationale for applying murine cytomegalovirus as a host resistance model and for interpreting immunotoxicity testing in terms of risk of disease, J. Toxicol. Environ. Flealth, 37, 123, 1992. 

Cederbrandt, K. et al., NK-cell activity in immunotoxicity drug evaluation, Toxicology, 185, 241, 2003. 

Studies have consistently identified the immune system as a target for JP-8. Due to variability in routes of exposure and chemical composition, it is likely that there are a number of pathways contributing to the development of immunotoxicity, including the generation of free radicals, release of platelet-activating factor, interference with immunological memory, or the alteration of neuropeptides and cytokines. With further... 

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