Effect of radon on the immune system: alterations in the cellularity and functions of T cells in lymphoid organs of mouse

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
M NagarkattiA Brooks

Abstract

Exposure to radon and its progeny induces significant damage to the cells of the respiratory tract and causes lung cancer. Whether a similar exposure to radon would alter the functions of the immune system has not been previously investigated. In the current study, we investigated the effect of exposure of C57BL/6 mice to 1000 or 2500 working-level months (WLM) of radon and its progeny by inhalation, on the number and function of T lymphocytes in lymphoid organs. The control mice received uranium ore dust carrier aerosol by inhalation. Exposure to radon induced marked decrease in the total cellularity of most lymphoid organs such as thymus, peripheral lymph nodes (PLN), and lung-associated lymph nodes (LALN), when compared to the controls. The percentage of T cells increased, while that of non-T cells decreased, in all peripheral lymphoid organs at both the doses of radon. In the thymus, particularly at 2500 WLM of radon exposure, there was a marked decrease in CD4+CD8+ T cells and an increase in the immature CD4-CD8- T cells. Such alterations in both the numbers and percentages of lymphocytes and macrophages in radon-exposed mice may have resulted from the cell killing by the alpha particles as the immune cells were migrating ...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 29, 2013·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Martin Mkandawire
Nov 28, 1997·International Journal of Radiation Biology·A L BrooksF T Cross
Jun 27, 2013·Environmental Pollution·Ricardo CamarinhoArmindo Santos Rodrigues
Sep 27, 2018·International Journal of Radiation Biology·Stephanie PuukilaDouglas R Boreham
Jul 18, 2018·Acta Microbiologica Et Immunologica Hungarica·György Csaba
Dec 8, 2020·Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part a·A NavarroY Segovia
Mar 24, 2000·Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics·R Iyer, B E Lehnert

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