Effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) accumulated in the dam's body on mouse filial immunocompetence.

Abstract

In order to determine the effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which accumulated in mice on the filial immunocompetence, their antibody responses were studied by using anin vivo system at 4, 7, 11, 15 weeks after birth. The B cell activity in filial mice exposed to PCBs was directly assessed, using thymus independent antigen, DNP-Dextran. Antibody response was not suppressed throughout the experimental periods as compared with the control mice. The T cell helper activity in filial mice exposed to PCBs was determined with an adoptive cell transfer system of hapten primed B cells and carrier primed helper T cells. In prenatal exposed groups, T cell helper activity reduced to about 20% of the control four weeks after birth, whereas it reduced to about 50% of the control in postnatal exposed group. This depression gradually recovered to the control level. Thus, the PCBs which accumulated in the dam's body were considered to decrease the filial helper T cell activity or delay the maturation of filial T cell function.