Long-term effects of chromium on morphological and immunological parameters of Wistar rats.

Hexavalent chromium raises high concern because of its wide industrial applications and reported toxicity. Long-term (135 days) oral exposure of Wistar rats to chromium in the form of KCrO (exposed group~20 mg/kg/day) led to a decrease in thymus mass and thymocytes' number and caused structural and functional changes in the lymph nodes and spleen, namely lymphoreticular hyperplasia and plasmocytic macrophage transformation. Programmed cell death was increased in both thymocytes and splenocytes and decreased in lymphocytes in the T-zones of spleen and lymph nodes.

The immunotoxicological pattern of subchronic and chronic benzene exposure in rats.

Exposure to benzene and its inevitable metabolites can result in deleterious effects on human health, including lymphocytopenia, hematotoxicity and cancer. However, the duration of exposure might alter the effects including immune consequences. The aim of this study was to determine whether benzene could modulate lymphocyte proliferation induced by the T cell mitogen concanavalin A, in rats, at different exposure durations.

[Some indices of trace elements and antioxidant status in rats under chromic intoxication].

There was investigated the effect of chronic Cr (VI) on the content of chromium, iron, copper; zinc, nickel in the blood of rats and activity of antioxidant enzymes of erythrocytes in Wistar rats. The chromium concentration has been shown to increase multifold while the level of other metal is more or less declining. Also it was found a decrease in the activity of such antioxidant enzymes as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and the activation of the processes of free radical oxidation.

Immune and interferon status in schoolchildren living in cities with different anthropogenic load.

Examinations of 6-11-year healthy children living in industrial cities of the Orenburg region revealed a close relationship between ecological status of the territory and some immunity parameters such as immune deficiency, interferon content, and formation of postvaccinal immunity with live measles vaccine. The most pronounced changes in the immune status and decreased postvaccinal immunity were found in a city with the greatest anthropogenic load. Changes in interferon status were similar in all cities: a 2-fold increase of serum interferon and suppressed production of interferon-alpha and interferon-gamma.