St. Mcmurry et al., CELLULAR IMMUNE-RESPONSES OF NUTRITIONALLY STRESSED JUVENILE COTTON RATS (SIGMODON HISPIDUS) DURING ACUTE BENZENE EXPOSURE, Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology, 27(1), 1994, pp. 14-19
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.