Toxicity of bis(tri- n-butyltin)oxide in the rat : II. Suppression of thymus-dependent immune responses and of parameters of nonspecific resistance after short-term exposure

Abstract

To evaluate the functional significance of bis(tri- n-butyltin)oxide (TBTO)-induced thymus atrophy, lymphocyte depletion in spleen and lymph nodes, lymphopenia, and increased serum IgM and decreased IgG concentrations, in vivo and in vitro function studies were performed for specific and nonspecific resistance. Weaned male rats were fed diets containing 0, 20, or 80 mg TBTO/kg for a least 6 weeks. Regarding the thymus-dependent immunity, delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions to ovalbumin as well as tuberculin were significantly depressed at both dietary concentrations. Resistance to the nematode Trichinella spiralis was significantly suppressed as shown by a retarded expulsion of adult worms from the small intestine, increased counts of muscle larvae, reduced inflammatory reaction in parasitized musculature, and suppressed serum IgE titers. Also the secondary mercaptoethanol-resistant (presumably IgG) hemagglutinating antibody titer to sheep red blood cells was significantly reduced, while no significant alterations were found in IgM and IgG titers to T. spiralis, ovalbumin, and tetanus toxoid. TBTO exposure reduced the response of thymocytes in both treatment groups and of spleen cells in the 80-mg/kg group upon stimulation with T-cell mitogens and increased the response of spleen cells to B-cell mitogens. When calculated per whole spleen, the response to T-cell mitogens was strongly impaired but unaltered by B-cell mitogens. This difference can be explained by a relative increase of splenic B cells as a result of reduced numbers of T cells, as shown by cell surface marker analysis using monoclonal antibodies. Reduced splenic T-cell numbers appeared equally due to a decreased number of T helper and to T suppressor cells. From these data and from results of a time-sequence study in which effects of TBTO on cell count and cell viability of thymus, spleen, and bone marrow were investigated, it is concluded that TBTO-induced immunodeficiency was primarily due to its direct toxic action on thymocytes. When cultured in vitro in the presence of TBTO, viability of thymus and bone marrow cells was equally reduced, while after in vivo treatment viability of bone marrow cells was unaffected. Thus, the in vitro situation does not mimic the in vivo one. Concerning the nonspecific resistance. TBTO reduced macrophage function as shown by impaired splenic clearance of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. From in vitro studies it is concluded that impaired in vivo splenic clearance was due to a reduction in both the number of adherent cells in the spleen and bacterial digestion on a cell for cell basis. The effect of TBTO on natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity was investigated in a 51Cr-release assay with YAC lymphoma target cells. In this test, the activity of natural killer (NK) cells in the spleen was significantly suppressed in the 80 mg/kg group while NK cell activity of peritoneal cells was unaltered. However, the activity of adherent peritoneal cells (cytotoxic macrophages) was significantly reduced in the 20 and 80 mg/kg groups. Finally, TBTO did not render rats more susceptible to the lethal effects of endotoxin. From the results it is concluded that low-dose feeding of TBTO suppresses thymus-dependent immune responses as well as parameters of the nonspecific resistance.