Effect of cadmium on the immune response in rats.
Adult male inbred Wistar rats were given a subtoxic dose of cadmium (25 ppm) orally for 4 weeks prior to and during immunization with sheep erythrocytes (E). The control group received tap water during the experimental period. No difference in the antibody response to E was found between the two groups. Mononuclear peripheral blood cells from experimental and control rats were stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A). The experimental rats had received 25 ppm Cd in the drinking water from weaning until sacrifice at 15 weeks of age. There was no difference in [3H]thymidine incorporation between the cells of the experimental group and those of the control group. Addition of Cd at very low concentrations to the cultures significantly depressed the [3H]thymidine incorporation of the cells from both groups of rats. Thus, a subtoxic dose of Cd apparently had no effect on the in vivo immune response in rats.
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000276:immunology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000276:immunology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology
D000906:Antibodies; D002104:Cadmium; D003208:Concanavalin A