Effects of chronic tobacco smoke exposure on immune responses in aged mice.
Balb/c mice were exposed to fresh smoke, equivalent to 30 high-tar filtered cigarettes/day, for 83 wk or less. After groups of mice were subjected to 56, 64, 72, and 80 wk of tobacco smoke (TS) exposure, serum antibody responses to both T-dependent and T-independent antigens, numbers of plaque-forming cells, spleen cell and lymph node PHA responses, and systemic clearance of normal and opsonised antigen were investigated. Aged TS-exposed mice showed some deterioration of immune responsiveness with age, but results varied; in extreme old age the immunological responsiveness of TS-exposed mice was similar to that of age-matched controls. In addition, groups of mice inoculated with fibrosarcoma cells after 78 wk TS-exposure did not show significantly greater susceptibility to the early development of pulmonary metastases.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D007109:Immunity; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012907:Smoking; D013997:Time Factors
D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins