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IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES IN MICE FOLLOWING IN UTERO EXPOSURE TO NICL2
Citation:
Smialowicz, R., R.R. Rogers, M. Riddle, D. Rowe, AND R. Luebke. IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES IN MICE FOLLOWING IN UTERO EXPOSURE TO NICL2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-86/072 (NTIS PB86214863).
Description:
The effect that NiCl2 has on the development of immune function in mice was examined in the offspring of dams implanted with mini-osmotic pumps during pregnancy. Time bred C57BL/6J mice were implanted subcutaneously on day 5 of gestation with mini pumps which delivered a total dose of from 9.1 to 73.2 micrograms/g NiCl2. The pumps delivered NiCl2 to the dams through day 19 of gestation. At 8-10 weeks of age the offspring of NiCl2-dosed dams were evaluated for immune function. No consistent significant alterations were observed between control and treated offspring for the following: lymphoid organ or body weights; the lymphoproliferative response to B or T lymphocyte mitogens; the lymphoproliferative response to allogeneic spleen cells in the mixed lymphocyte reaction; the development of syngeneic tumors; or the primary antibody response to sheep red blood cells. Natural killer (NK) cell activity was reduced in offspring exposed to NiCl2 in utero; however, the biological relevance of these reductions is questionable because of the failure to demonstrate an increased susceptibility to the B16-F10 syngeneic tumor. The results indicate that under the conditions and doses employed it appears that NiCl2 does not adversely affect the developing immune system of the mouse.