title: Immune responses of rats chronically fed subclinical doses of lead.
abstract: The effects of chronic feeding of low levels of lead on various cells of the rat immune system have been investigated. In the presence of Con A and PHA, lead appears to increase blastogenesis up to approximately 5 weeks with activity approaching that of the unleaded control cells at 14 weeks. B cells responded with increased mitogenicity in the presence of LPS up to the time of termination of the experiment (14 weeks). Macrophage activity and number in the lead-fed rat showed consistent decrease and eventual morphological impairment. It is hypothesized that lead has mitogen-like activity but disruption of macrophage-T cell interaction occurs with time.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D007854:Lead / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D003208:Concanavalin A; D007854:Lead; D013936:Thymidine