CELLULAR IMMUNE-RESPONSES OF NUTRITIONALLY STRESSED JUVENILE COTTON RATS (SIGMODON HISPIDUS) DURING ACUTE BENZENE EXPOSURE

Wild juvenile cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) were used in this study to examine the effects of exposure to cyclophosphamide (CY) or differi ng levels of benzene on selected measures of cellular immunity followi ng dietary protein restriction. Benzene caused marginal immunotoxicity as indicated by suppressed splenocyte proliferation and total circula ting neutrophils. Cyclophosphamide and also crude protein restriction induced severe immune lesions manifested as thymus and spleen atrophy, depressed delayed hypersensitivity response, reduced proliferative ca pacity of splenocytes, and reduced numbers of total leukocytes, lympho cytes, and splenocytes. Although severe immune modulation resulted fro m the individual effects of CY exposure and dietary protein restrictio n, there was little statistically significant toxicant-diet interactio n.