Cyclophosphamide effects on immune function of European starlings.
We developed and tested a battery of immune function assays on adult European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) exposed to the immunotoxicant cyclophosphamide (CY). Starlings were injected intraperitoneally for three consecutive days with saline or 20 mg/kg CY. Cyclophosphamide did not affect body mass or packed cell volume. However, spleen to body mass ratios and the number of viable spleen cells were lower in CY-treated birds when compared to controls. Peripheral white blood cell numbers were reduced in CY-treated starlings, and the decrease affected all cell types. Phagocytic ability of macrophages cultured from peripheral blood monocytes was impaired in cells from CY-treated birds. Additionally, CY treatment resulted in decreased lymphocyte blastogenesis to the T-cell mitogen Concanavalin A. The hemagglutination response to sheep erythrocytes was lower in birds that had received CY. Thus, these immunological methods detected chemically-induced immune dysfunction in starlings.
Trust
K A
KA
Institute of Wildlife and Environmental Toxicology, Clemson University, South Carolina 29670.
Fowles
J R
JR
Hooper
M J
MJ
Fairbrother
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D001717:Birds; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects / Q000662:veterinary; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
D003520:Cyclophosphamide