The immunomodulatory effects of two plant growth regulators, cycloheximide and maleic hydrazide, in white mice

Immunological effect of cycloheximide in mice

We evaluated the effects of cycloheximide on two immune responses in the mouse. The data obtained in this series of experiments showed enhancement of the direct splenic plaque-forming cell response to sheep red blood cells when the drug was administered at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg i.p. and of the delayed type hypersensitivity reaction to oxazolone when cycloheximide was injected at doses of 10, 25 and 50 mg/kg i.p. Depression of these responses was observed when the dose of drug injected was 75 or 100 mg/kg i.p. At a dose of 5 mg/kg cycloheximide had no effect on these immune responses.

Immunosuppression in weanling and adult Sprague-Dawley rats induced by acute exposure to 3,3',4,4'-tetrachloroazoxybenzene

The acute immunomodulatory effects of the environmental and occupational contaminant, 3,3',4,4'-tetrachloroazoxybenzene (TCAOB), were investigated on selected immune parameters in weanling and adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Significant immunotoxic effects were found 17 days after 4 doses of 25 mg/kg TCAOB, administered i.p. The main non-immune toxic effects were decreased body, kidney, heart and testis weights, and a simultaneous increase in liver weight. The immune parameters showing significant suppression were: thymic weight, splenic plaque forming cell populations and function, pertioneal macrophage chemiluminescence, and bone marrow cellularity. Weanling animals were affected by TCAOB to a greater extent than adults on both the multiple and single dose regimens. The immunotoxic effects were found to be qualitatively similar to those of its isosteric analog, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). The results demonstrate that TCAOB is a very potent immunotoxic compound and may have long-term effects after a single exposure. This study is the first investigation into the effect of TCAOB on immune functions.

Toxicant-disease-environment interactions associated with suppression of immune system, growth, and reproduction

The effects of marginal malnourishment , infections, and environmental chemicals on growth and reproductive success in Swiss-Webster white mice and wild deer mice were studied with fractional factorial designs. Interaction effects were discovered. For example, malnourished mice were more sensitive to virus exposure and environmental chemicals (a plant growth regulator or polychlorinated biphenyls). Since several commercial plant growth regulators also appear to suppress the immune system, these results cast doubt on the adequacy of current toxicity testing procedures in which factors are studied individually and not in combination.

Influence of feeding chlorocholine chloride and glyphosine on selected immune parameters in deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus

Exposure to the plant growth regulators, chlorocholine chloride (CCC) and glyphosine (GPS), resulted in significant immunomodulatory effects after feeding to deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) for 28 days. Cyclophosphamide (CP) and saline controls were included. Both CCC and GPS feeding levels were equivalent to 1, 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg mouse/day. The parameters assessed were: spleen plaque forming cell (PFC) assays, hemolysin titers, white blood cell counts, bone marrow cellularity, hematocrits, plasma proteins, and spleen, liver, kidney, thymus and body weights. GPS significantly raised the ratio of liver/body wt, lymphocytes/g of spleen (at high doses only) and hemolysin titers (at low doses only). Lymphocyte viability was significantly reduced, while WBC counts and plasma protein levels were moderately lowered. CCC significantly reduced plasma proteins, PFCs/g of spleen, lymphocyte viability and hemolysin titers. It also affected thymus weights, WBC counts, lymphocytes/g of spleen and PFCs/10(6) lymphocytes. Most of the effects for both compounds followed a typical dose-response curve, but GPS gave a bimodal response in certain tests. The results demonstrate that CCC and GPS can act as immunomodulatory agents and show the feasibility of using deer mice for immunotoxicity studies of environmental contaminants and agricultural chemicals.