Effects on rat lung immunity by acute lung exposure to benzo(a)pyrene.
This study describes the effect of intratracheal instillation of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) on immunological responses in the lung-associated lymph nodes, cervical lymph nodes, and spleen after deposition of 10(8) sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in the lung or peritoneal cavity of rats. An increased number of anti-SRBC antibody-forming cells was observed in the lung-associated lymph nodes when rats were immunized simultaneously with BaP installation. A suppression in the number of anti-SRBC antibody-forming cells occurred when SRBC were given intratracheally 4 or 7 days after BaP. The effects of the BaP appeared to be on the function of the cells in the lung-associated lymph nodes rather than due to changes in the exposed lung. BaP-induced changes in antigen handling or in regulatory populations of immune cells in the lung-associated lymph nodes may be responsible for the immune alterations observed.
D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D001580:Benzopyrenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D001580:Benzopyrenes; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene