The effect of cadmium on antibody responses to antigens with different cellular requirements.
Six week old BDF1 or CD-1 female mice were exposed to cadmium chloride in the drinking water at concentrations ranging from 0 to 50 ppm cadmium for 3 weeks. The in vivo antibody response against dinitrophenyl-aminoethylcarbamylmethyl-Ficoll (DNP-Ficoll), a T-lymphocyte independent, macrophage dependent response, was enhanced by cadmium. Similarly, the in vivo antibody response against Escherichia coli 0127 (LPS), a T-lymphocyte and macrophage independent response, was also enhanced by cadmium. In contrast, the in vitro antibody response against sheep red blood cells (SRBC), a T-lymphocyte and macrophage dependent response, was suppressed in spleen cell cultures that contained cadmium-exposed non-adherent cells (lymphocytes). Cultures containing cadmium-exposed adherent cells (macrophages) were not suppressed by cadmium. These results suggest that the immunosuppressive effects of cadmium as it relates to humoral immunity involve T-lymphocyte function rather than macrophage or B-lymphocyte activity. The enhanced T-lymphocyte independent antibody responses which accompany suppressed T-lymphocyte-dependent responses following cadmium exposure are an indication of compensatory mechanisms that are associated with the immune system.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005362:Ficoll / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000276:immunology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; C031007:DNP-Ficoll; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D002104:Cadmium; D005362:Ficoll