In vitro evaluation of cadmium-induced augmentation of the antibody response

Abstract

Augmentation of in vitro primary plaque-forming cell (PFC) response by cadmium exposure was investigated. Spleen cells from 2- to 3-months-old BALB c mice were incubated with various concentrations of cadmium chloride in the presence of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) as an antigen. PFC responses were enhanced by 4 and 8 μ m cadmium, but suppression of PFC responses was observed at concentrations of 20 and 40 μ m cadmium. In the reconstitution of adherent and nonadherent cells to culture dishes from spleen cells which were incubated for 24 hr with 8 μ m cadmium or saline (control), it was found that nonadherent cells were significantly enhanced by cadmium. Moreover, in the reconstitution between T and B cells from control and exposed groups, B cells from exposed groups were more enhanced by cadmium than T cells. These results suggested that augmentation of primary PFC response by cadmium exposure was mainly caused by the enhancement of B cells.