Immune alterations in mice exposed to the herbicide simazine.

Abstract

Simazine, a triazine herbicide, was investigated for its in vivo immunomodulatory properties. Male C57Bl/6 mice were treated with vehicle or 300 or 600 mg/kg body weight (bw) simazine daily orally for 4 wk. The immune system was evaluated by the antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC; plaque assay and serum immunoglobulin G), natural killer (NK) and macro-phage activities, lymphocyte subpopulations in the spleen and thymus, and concanavalin A (Con A)- and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation using splenocytes. Body weight and spleen and thymus weight decreased generally in simazine-treated mice, while the weight of adrenal glands was higher than in the control. Simazine treatment (600 mg/kg) induced an increase in the percentage of CD4(+) cells in spleen and CD8 + in thymus. Simazine inhibited the IgM plaque-forming cell numbers and lowered the level of IgG and the proliferation of mitogen-stimulated B cells and T cells. In addition, splenic NK and peritoneal macrophage activities in exposed mice were significantly decreased. Exposure to simazine also decreased cytokine production by macrophages, such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Taken together, data indicate that the immune system was suppressed by oral simazine exposure.

• Authors: Kyung-Ran Kim, Eun-Wha Son, Sung Hee-Um, Byung-Oh Kim, Dong-Kwon Rhee, Suhkneung Pyo
• Journal: Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A (J Toxicol Environ Health A) Vol. 66 Issue 12 Pg. 1159-73 (Jun 27 2003) ISSN: 1528-7394 [Print] England
• PMID: 12791541 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Herbicides
• Simazine

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Animals
• Antibody Formation (drug effects)
• Body Weight (drug effects)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Herbicides (administration & dosage, toxicity)
• Immune System (drug effects)
• Killer Cells, Natural (drug effects)
• Lymphocyte Activation (drug effects)
• Macrophages, Peritoneal (drug effects, immunology)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Organ Size (drug effects)
• Simazine (administration & dosage, toxicity)
• Spleen (drug effects, immunology)