Immune alterations in rats following subacute exposure to tributyltin oxide.

Abstract

Adult male Fischer 344 rats were dosed by oral gavage with bis(tri-n-butyltin)oxide (TBTO) in peanut oil for 10 consecutive days, at dosages ranging from 1.25 to 15 mg/kg/day. Other groups of rats were dosed daily for 10 days by oral gavage with cyclophosphamide (CY) at dosages ranging from 0.75 to 6 mg/kg/day. These rats served as positive controls for the immune assays employed. The immune function parameters examined included the following: delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and antibody responses to bovine serum albumin (BSA), primary antibody responses to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and trinitrophenyl lipopolysaccharide (TNP-LPS) and enumeration of splenic lymphocyte populations. The DTH and antibody responses to BSA were not affected by TBTO exposure; however these responses were suppressed in rats dosed with CY at 6 mg/kg/day. The plaque forming cell (PFC) response to the T cell-dependent antigen SRBC was enhanced in rats dosed with TBTO at from 5 to 15 mg/kg/day. On the other hand, the PFC response to the T cell-independent antigen TNP-LPS was unaffected by TBTO exposure. Rats dosed with CY had suppressed PFC responses to SRBC and TNP-LPS at dosages of 3 and 6 mg/kg/day, respectively. Enumeration of splenic lymphocyte populations from TBTO-exposed rats revealed a reduction in OX8- but not W3/25- or IgG-positive cells. These results, as well as results from an earlier study from this lab, suggest that T lymphocytes are a primary target for TBTO-induced immune alterations and that the enhancement of the PFC response to SRBC in TBTO-exposed rats may be mediated by alterations in the suppressor (OX8-positive) T lymphocyte population.

• Authors: R J Smialowicz, M M Riddle, R R Rogers, R W Leubke, C B Copeland, G G Ernst
• Journal: Toxicology (Toxicology) Vol. 64 Issue 2 Pg. 169-78 (Nov 1990) ISSN: 0300-483X [Print] Ireland
• PMID: 2219138 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antigens, T-Independent
• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Trialkyltin Compounds
• bis(tri-n-butyltin)oxide
• Cyclophosphamide

Topics

• Animals
• Antibody Formation (drug effects)
• Antigens, T-Independent (immunology)
• Cyclophosphamide (immunology, pharmacology)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Hemolytic Plaque Technique
• Hypersensitivity, Delayed (immunology)
• Immunosuppressive Agents (immunology, pharmacology)
• Male
• Rats
• Rats, Inbred F344
• Spleen (drug effects, immunology)
• Trialkyltin Compounds (immunology, pharmacology)