In previous studies, we found that endotracheal administration of beryllium oxide (BeO) produced cell-mediated immunity and granulomatous lung disease in strain 2 but not strain 13 guinea pigs. This report describes phenotypic and functional studies of bronchial lavage cells from both guinea pig strains after BeO exposure. In BeO-treated strain 2 animals, the percentage of T (ER+)3 lymphocytes was significantly (p less than 0.05) elevated above normal by 2 weeks after BeO exposure, while T lymphocytes were not increased in strain 13. Giant cells containing crystalline material in fused, coalesced phagolysosomes were observed in treated animals of both strains. BeO-exposed strain 2 alveolar macrophages (AM) demonstrated enhanced killing of Listeria monocytogenes and enhanced chemiluminescence, while AM of strain 13 had responses below controls. Findings support the presence of BeO-induced cellular immunologic activity in strain 2 animals and, on the other hand, suggest BeO toxicity to lavage cells in strain 13.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Experimental beryllium-induced lung disease. I. Differences in immunologic responses to beryllium compounds in strains 2 and 13 guinea pigs.

Granulomatous lung disease was produced in strain 2 but not strain 13 guinea pigs by endotracheal injection of beryllium oxide (BeO), although isolated multinucleated giant cells containing crystalline material were found in lungs of both strains. Disease was also produced in (2 x 13) F1 hybrids, but of a milder form than in strain 2. In BeO-treated strain 2 and F1 animals, challenge with beryllium salts produced delayed hypersensitivity skin reactivity, and in vitro, enhanced tritiated thymidine uptake and lymphokine production by lymph node cells. No evidence was found for involvement of humoral immunity in the disease. Responses were not seen in BeO-treated strain 13 guinea pigs, and immunization of animals with BeO in complete Freund's adjuvant produced similar immunologic findings. These data emphasize the involvement of genetically determined cellular immune mechanisms in beryllium lung disease.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Tumor-enhancing effects of cimetidine.

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Animals↗

PubMed1983

Effect of thyroxine on immune response in C57Bl/6J mice.

The effect of T4 treatment (40 micrograms, 5 times/week) on immune function in C57Bl/6J mice was studied. The primary antibody synthesis as measured by the plaque-forming cell (PFC) assay demonstrated significant suppression in mice treated with T4 for 30 days. Mitogen assays using PHA and Con A demonstrated significant suppression of cellular immune responses as measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation. The effect was reversed when the treatment was discontinued and a normal response reappeared after 14 days. Allogeneic skin grafts (donor A/J mice) showed prolonged survival (median survival time, 13.5 days) in T4-treated mice as compared to control untreated mice (median survival time, 11 days). Further experiments using Chromium 51 assay for delayed type hypersensitivity also showed suppressed response. These results suggest that treatment with T4, in the above doses and duration, cause immunosuppression in C57Bl/6J mice.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Turbidimetric assay of penicillin in feeds: addition of magnesium sulfate to eliminate chlortetracycline interference.

The official AOAC method for extracting penicillin from feeds allows some chlortetracycline to be co-extracted if the latter is also present in the sample. This can cause a high bias in results obtained by using the turbidimetric assay in which the test organism is sensitive to both antibiotics. In this report, we show that magnesium ions can be used to circumvent the interference of chlortetracycline in the turbidimetric assay for penicillin.

Animal Feed↗