Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate possesses an adjuvant effect in a subcutaneous injection model with BALB/c mice.
The prevalence of allergic airway diseases is rapidly increasing in Western Europe and North America and the introduction of anthropogenic chemicals may explain a part of this increase. Recently, our group found that degradation products from several commonly used phthalate plasticizers possess adjuvant activity in an animal model. Mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, which is the degradation product of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), was among these substances. These findings prompted the study of the adjuvant activity of the parent compound itself. Thus, DEHP was studied in a model using ovalbumin (OA) as the model antigen. OA was injected subcutaneously in the neck region of BALB/cJ mice with or without DEHP. The levels of OA-specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies in sera were measured by ELISA. Adjuvant effect, defined as a statistically significant increase in antibody level, was observed with IgG1 at a concentration of 2000 microg DEHP/ml after both one and two boosters.
Thor Larsen
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S
National Institute of Occupational Health, Lersø Parkallé 105, DK-2100 Ø, Copenhagen, Denmark. stl@ami.dk
My Lund
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R
Damgård Nielsen
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G
Thygesen
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P
Melchior Poulsen
O
O
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate