Abstract
The aim of this work was to determine the possible occurrence ofdamage to the immune system during the course of chronic ingestion of 137Cs. BALB/C micewere used, with 137Cs intake via drinking water at a concentration of20 kBq l − 1. Adultsreceived 137Cs before mating and offspring were sacrificed at various ages between birth and 20weeks. Phenotypic analysis of circulating blood cells and thymocytes did not showany significant modification of immune cell populations in animals ingesting 137Cs as compared with control animals, with the exception of a slight increase in Treg percentage atthe age of 12 weeks. Functional tests, including proliferative response to mitogens such asphytohaemagglutinin, response to alloantigens in mixed lymphocyte reaction andimmunoglobulin response to vaccine antigens such as tetanus toxin and keyhole limpethaemocyanin did not show any significant functional modification of the immune system in 137Cs-ingesting animals as compared with control animals. Overall, ourresults suggest that chronic ingestion of a low concentration of 137Cs in drinking water in the long term does not have any biologically relevant effect on theimmune system.
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