title: T-cell homeostasis in mice exposed to airborne xenobiotics.
abstract: Many effects of environmental toxic agents contribute to the deregulation of immune system homeostasis. Here we demonstrate that the effect of airborne suspended matter (ASM) on the generation of mouse T cells is reversible. This reversal can be achieved by an active process that returns the T cells to homeostasis and does not result from the simple effect of ASM deprivation. An accelerated development of thymocytes and increased influx of T-cell progenitors to the thymus in mice exposed to environmental xenobiotics has been postulated. This hypothesis has been confirmed by parallel increases in the percentages of single-positive and triple-negative thymocytes. Enhanced expression of thymocyte surface markers related to positive selection has also been observed. The pathway of T-cell progenitor development is favoured in the bone marrow of mice exposed to ASM.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Department of Immunology, Warsaw University, Poland. ndrela@biol.uw.edu.pl
authors.forename: Nadzieja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Drela
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bień
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kozłowska
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D015262:Xenobiotics