Effect of in vitro exposure to styrene, styrene oxide, and other structurally related compounds on murine cell-mediated immunity

Abstract

Spleen cells from C57BL/6 mice were exposed to nontoxic doses of styrene, styrene oxide, styrene glycol, allylbenzene, ethylbenzene and toluene. None of these compounds except allylbenzene showed any great suppression or stimulation of the cytotoxic-T lymphocyte response. Allylbenzene was a strong suppressor of the cytotoxic-T lymphocyte response but, like the other compounds, had no effect on natural cytotoxicity. Styrene glycol, ethylbenzene and toluene also did not suppress natural killer cell activity. In contrast, styrene, styrene oxide and allylbenzene were strong suppressors of natural killer cell activity. The natural killer cell inhibition caused by styrene oxide did not occur if treatment was performed at 0°C instead of 37°C, and was reversed by the addition of 5 mM glutathione or a 30 min recovery period at 37°C. The natural killer cell suppression caused by allylbenzene was not reversed by these methods. These compounds may be causing natural killer cell suppression by different mechanisms, depending on the compound under study, and on whether these compounds contain a double bond or an epoxide moiety.