title: Inhibitory effects of cadmium on peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation and cytokine release are reversed by zinc and selenium salts.
abstract: Zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) exert regulatory activities on immune functions, while cadmium (Cd) is an immunotoxic agent. The object of this study was to detect effects of 10(-4), 10(-5), and 10(-6) M Cd sulphate, Zn sulphate, and sodium selenite, and their combinations on human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation and IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha production. Only 10(-5) M Zn sulphate significantly enhanced spontaneous PBMC proliferation, which was unaffected by the other salts. At 10(-4) and 10(-5) M, Cd sulphate exerted a dose-response inhibitory action on phytohemagglutinin- (PHA-) stimulated PBMC proliferation and cytokine release, while 10(-4) M and 10(-5) M Zn sulphate and 10(-5) M sodium selenite induced a stimulatory effect on both proliferation and cytokine release; 10(-4) M sodium selenite enhanced only the PBMC proliferation; at 10(-6) M, none of the salts changed the PHA-stimulated immune activity. Moreover, 10(-4) and 10(-5) M Zn and 10(-5) M Se strongly upregulated IFN-gamma (a Th1 cytokine) release, even in presence of 10(-5) M Cd, and reduced the inhibitory effects of Cd on PBMC proliferation and TNF-alpha release. This study confirms that Zn and Se both strongly enhance cytokine release induced by mitogenic stimulation, showing also that Zn acts with a broader range of concentrations than Se. This suggests that dietary excess of Se may not have beneficial effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Sciences of Ageing, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy. boscolo@unich.it
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boscolo
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Giampaolo
authors.forename: Niu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reale
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lucci
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Travaglini
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kouri
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verna
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Volpe
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carmignani
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paganelli
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Gioacchino
mesh_terms: D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018038:Sodium Selenite / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013431:Sulfates / Q000633:toxicity*; D019287:Zinc Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D016207:Cytokines; D013431:Sulfates; D019287:Zinc Sulfate; C037123:cadmium sulfate; D018038:Sodium Selenite