title: Effect of toxaphene exposure on immune responses in mice.
abstract: Toxaphene was fed to female weanling Swiss-Webster mice at dosages of 10, 100, and 200 ppm for 8 wk. Immunologic assays revealed depressed IgG antibody formation in those animals receiving 100 and 200 ppm toxaphene, as compared to controls. Cell-mediated immune responses were not affected in the toxaphene-exposed mice. In another experiment, mature female mice fed the same amounts of toxaphene were mated 3 wk after feeding began and were maintained on the diets until 3 wk after parturition, at which time the pups were weaned onto the control ration. Assays performed on the offspring 8 wk after their birth revealed suppressed antibody formation in the 100-ppm-toxaphene group and enhanced antibody formation in the 200-ppm group. The cell-mediated immune response was suppressed in the offspring from the 100-ppm group, while no change from the controls occurred in the other groups. Phagocytic ability of macrophages was significantly reduced in all toxaphene-treated groups, but to a greater extent in the offspring of the mice that consumed 100 ppm toxaphene.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D014112:Toxaphene / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D014112:Toxaphene; D003520:Cyclophosphamide