title: Age-related effects of sodium arsenite on splenocyte proliferation and Th1/Th2 cytokine production.
abstract: Aging is associated with immune dysfunction and conditions such as inflamm-aging and immunosuppression. Arsenic, an environmental contaminant distributed worldwide, affects the immune system. This study tested the hypothesis that arsenic has distinct effects on T cell proliferation and the production of cytokines by activated T cells. Murine splenocytes from young (2 months) and aged (24-26 months) C57BL/6 mice were exposed to arsenite (As(3+)), the most toxic form of inorganic arsenic, and stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) or anti-CD3 antibody. T cell proliferation decreased significantly in response to Con A and anti-CD3 at subtoxic doses of arsenite in splenocytes from both young and aged mice. Arsenite, added concurrently with Con A or anti-CD3, significantly inhibited the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and interleukin-4 (IL-4) by splenocytes from young mice and significantly reduced the production of IL-10 by splenocytes from aged mice. In contrast, the production of IL-2 and IL-4 by splenocytes from aged mice was only slightly affected by arsenite. The results show that arsenic exposure reduces the immune response in splenocytes. Moreover, this effect may be influenced by aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental & Health Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Kyong Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Moon Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Back
authors.forename: Jong Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jung Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Jong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Zhicheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Ji Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Dae Kyong
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D018053:Arsenites / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D017670:Sodium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018053:Arsenites; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016207:Cytokines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D017670:Sodium Compounds; D003208:Concanavalin A; C017947:sodium arsenite