Biological effects of gestational and lactational PCB exposure in neonatal and juvenile C57BL/6 mice.
The purpose of this study was to obtain a better understanding of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) immunotoxicity in the developing mouse. Adult female mice were dosed with three subcutaneous injections per week of 50 mg/kg Aroclor 1242 (A1242), Aroclor 1254 (A1254), or corn oil for 2 weeks and then mated with nondosed males. First-litter pups were sacrificed at 7 or 28 days of age. At both ages, the tissue concentration of PCB was significantly higher in both the A1242 and A1254 pups than in oil-treated controls. Seven-day-old pups exposed to A1242 or A1254 had significantly decreased splenic IL-2 production. Alterations in the percentages of T cell subsets compared to controls were observed in A1242-exposed pups; an increased spleen somatic index was noted only in A1254-exposed pups. Twenty-eight-day-old pups exposed to A1254 demonstrated a significant decrease in thymus somatic index, an increase in liver somatic index, a 25% decrease in total circulating T(4), and decreased B cell percentages relative to their controls. Alteration in the percentages of CD3(int) T cells was observed in A1254-exposed 28-day-old pups. A significant increase in 7-ethoxyresorufin- O-deethylase (EROD) and 7-benzoxyresorufin-O-dearylase (BROD) activity was measured at both ages in A1254-exposed pups and in A1242-exposed 28-day-old pups. These data confirm that during gestation and lactation A1242 and A1254 are transferred from dams to pups and that such exposure results in immune-related effects in neonatal (7-day-old) and juvenile (28-day-old) mice. Furthermore, A1254 exposure produces more frequent and pronounced effects than exposure to A1242.
Arena
S M
SM
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, 2001 South Lincoln Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61802, USA.
Greeley
E H
EH
Halbrook
R S
RS
Hansen
L G
LG
Segre
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001140:Aroclors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D020111:Chlorodiphenyl (54% Chlorine) / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D019362:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007774:Lactation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
D001140:Aroclors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D020111:Chlorodiphenyl (54% Chlorine); C027423:aroclor 1242; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D019362:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1