Endorphin content of white blood cells and peritoneal cells in neonatally benzpyrene treated adult rats.
White blood cells of rats (lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, granulocytes and mast cells) contain beta-endorphin. Two months after a single neonatal benzpyrene treatment (imprinting) there is an elevated level of immunoreactive endorphin in the blood and peritoneal cells of female animals and blood cells of males. The endorphin content decreased in the peritoneal cells of males. In the blood, the granulocytes of female, and the lymphocytes of male rats contained the highest amount of endorphin. In the peritoneal fluid also the granulocytes of females contained the highest amount of endorphin, in contrast to males, where the endorphin content of cells decreased and the lowest level of it was present in the lymphocytes. The experiments justify that benzpyrene treatment can durably influence endorphin levels of white blood cells and gives new data to the already known lifelong health destroying effects of perinatal benzpyrene exposition (alterations of hormone receptor binding capacity and sexual behavior).
Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. csagyor@dgci.sote.hu
G
G
Csaba
P
P
Kovács
Eva
E
Pállinger
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001580:Benzopyrenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D004723:Endorphins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009000:Monocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012737:Sex Factors
D001580:Benzopyrenes; D004723:Endorphins