title: Changes with age in the proliferative response of splenic T cells from rats exposed to ethanol in utero.
abstract: The fetal alcohol syndrome is associated with altered immunity. Several laboratories have confirmed that rodents exposed to ethanol in utero demonstrate both diminished proliferative responses of T cells to mitogens and diminished proliferative responses of T-blast cells to human recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL2). We examined the developmental time course of these altered immune responses by testing the immune function of in utero ethanol-exposed rats at various ages. We found that while diminished splenic T cell proliferative responses could not be detected at 2 weeks, they were present at 6 weeks after birth and suppression was maximal at 6 weeks and 3 months. Thereafter, at 5 and 7 months, the altered immune responses gradually declined and normalized at 8 months of age. Thus, both altered T cell mitogenesis and the blunted IL2-induced proliferative response of T-blast cells could serve as biomarkers of fetal exposure to ethanol.
authors.affiliation: GRECC, Veterans Administration Medical Center West Lost Angeles, CA 90073.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Branch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castle
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000276:immunology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol