Immunologic effects of nickel. II. Suppression of natural killer cell activity.
A single intramuscular injection of nickel chloride (18.3 mg/kg) caused a significant reduction in murine splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity. This reduction in NK activity was not associated with a significant reduction in spleen cellularity nor in the production of suppressor cells. In a 4-hr 51Cr-release assay, NK cell activity was suppressed in both CBA/J and C57BL/6J mice. Administration of the nickel dose (i.e., 18.3 mg/kg total) over a 2-week period also caused a significant reduction in NK cell activity. In an in vivo NK assay, the clearance of [125I]iododeoxyuridine-labeled YAC-1 tumor cells from the lungs of nickel-treated mice was significantly reduced compared with saline injected controls. Another in vivo correlate of nickel-induced NK suppression was observed in mice injected with the B16-F10 melanoma. Mice given a single intramuscular injection of NiCl2 (18.3 mg/kg) developed significantly greater numbers of lung tumors than saline controls. The results indicate that NiCl2 is a potent suppressor of NK cell activity.
D000818:Animals; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D005260:Female; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D009532:Nickel / Q000276:immunology* / Q000633:toxicity; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; C022838:nickel chloride; D009532:Nickel