Immune response in aged mice exposed to lead

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Abstract
Mice were exposed to 0, 13 or 1300 ppm Pb in drinking water for 18 mo. The immunological assays examined were mitogen (lipopolysaccharide Escherichia coli, concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin-P) stimulation of lymphocytes; erythrocyte-antibody (EA) rosetting, erythrocyte-antibody-complement (EAC) rosetting and phagocytosis by macrophages; and EAC rosetting by splenic lymphocytes. As measured by the majority of these assays, the low dosage (13 ppm) of Pb tended to stimulate certain immune responses (lymphocyte mitosis, EA rosetting and EAC rosetting) while the high dosage (1300 ppm) did not provoke an appreciable alteration. The results were interpreted by comparing data on aged mice with data on young adult mice. This comparison showed that the aged mice were naturally immunosuppressed. Therefore, the results obtained from Pb-exposed mice were unpredictable.

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