[Immunotoxic effect of herbicide simazine exposure in BALB/c mice].
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of simazine on selected immune parameters in BALB/c mice.


METHODS
Simazine (90, 200, 400 mg/kg) was administrered by oral gavage for 21 days in adult BALB/c mice. The negative control group unith distilled water and positive control group administered with cyclophosphamide in abdominal cavity were also established. After the last simazine dose, the mice were sacrificed, and blood, spleens, and thymuses were collected and processed for detection. The relative weight of spleen and thymus was calculated. The rate of T cell in spleen and the concentration of IL-2, IL-4, IgG and IgM were detected by ELISA.


RESULTS
The weights of mice were decreased in 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg simazine groups. Thymus and spleen weights were decreased in 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg simazine groups compared with the negative control group. The concentration of IL-2, IL-4, IgG and IgM in serum of 200 mg/kg group were (108.50 +/- 3.20) pg/ml, (36.54 +/- 3.36) pg/ml, (46.25 +/- 7.41) μg/ml, (17.58 +/- 2.23) μg/ml respectively;The concentration of IL-2, IL-4, IgG and IgM in serum of 400 mg/kg group were (85.70 +/- 4.00) pg/ml, (35.92 +/- 2.29) pg/ml, (40.08 +/- 6.80) μg/ml, (11.92 +/- 3.23) μg/ml respectively (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). These results were decreased significantly compared with negative group.


CONCLUSIONS
Simazine can inhibit the cellular immune function and the humoral immune function.
College of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, 150081 Harbin, China.
Rui
R
Ren
Ming-qiu
MQ
Wang
Jing
J
Zheng
Yang
Y
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000187:drug effects*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012839:Simazine / Q000633:toxicity*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects
D016207:Cytokines; D006540:Herbicides; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012839:Simazine