title: Immunomodulatory effects of selenium and vitamin E on alterations in T lymphocyte subsets induced by T-2 toxin.
abstract: Abstract Context: T-2 toxin, a potent mycotoxin, has serious effects on immune system.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Here, the effects of a sublethal dose of this toxin on T lymphocyte sub-population levels and the potential protective effects from treatment with selenium or vitamin E were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  After having determined the sublethal dose of the T-2 toxin in Balb/c mice hosts, the post-injection kinetics of changes in T lymphocyte sub-population (CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells) profiles were analyzed via flow cytometry. For these studies, the selenium and vitamin E were either provided to the mice before or concurrent with the toxin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that after a sublethal dose of T-2 alone, the number of CD8(+) T-lymphocytes was significantly decreased at 12 h and normalized at 48 h. In contrast, level of CD3(+) and CD4(+) T-lymphocytes were significantly increased at 24 h and returned to normal after 48 h. When selenium was injected into the mice 24 h before or concurrent with the T-2, the effects on CD8(+) cells were mitigated. Oddly, only when the selenium was given with the toxin could the effects on the CD3(+) and CD4(+) cells be altered. Vitamin E, when injected 24 h before or concurrent with the T-2 toxin, was only able to impact upon the CD8(+) lymphocyte alterations induced by the toxin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with vitamin E, it seems that selenium could assert an important effect against the immunotoxic effects of T-2 toxin against T lymphocytes.
authors: Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran .
authors: Jafar
authors: J
authors: Salimian
authors: Mohammad Ali
authors: MA
authors: Arefpour
authors: Majid
authors: M
authors: Riazipour
authors: Najmeh
authors: N
authors: Poursasan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013605:T-2 Toxin / Q000633:toxicity*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D014810:Vitamin E; D012643:Selenium; D013605:T-2 Toxin
keywords: Flow cytometry; T lymphocytes; T-2 toxin; selenium; vitamin E