IMMUNOLOGICAL CHANGES PRODUCED IN RATS BY PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO CARBON-MONOXIDE

Wistar female rats were exposed to relatively mild concentrations of c arbon monoxide (CO) (75 and 150 p.p.m.) from day 0 to day 20 of pregna ncy. The results show that splenic macrophage phagocytosis of Candida albicans was significantly decreased in 15 and 21 day old male rats ex posed to CO (150 p.p.m.) during pregnancy. Moreover, splenic macrophag e killing was significantly reduced in 15 day old male pups prenatally exposed to 75 and 150 ppm of CO. Prenatal CO (150 p.p.m.) significant ly decreased splenic macrophage O-2(-) release in both 15 and 21 day o ld pups. CO-induced alterations in the immune system were not observed in 60 day old rats. These findings indicate that gestational exposure to relatively mild concentrations of CO induces in rat offspring reve rsible immunological changes characterized by an altered splenic macro phage function.