Aberrant or defective immune responses are known to be the result of primary immunodeficiency diseases, e.g., in the DiGeorge syndrome (thymic hypoplasia) in man, or in homozygous mice with the mut...

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15476910701508262

Immune suppression as related to toxicology.

The effect of methylmercury, tetraethyl lead, and sodium arsenite on the humoral immune response in mice.

Effects of selenium-lead interaction on the gene expression of inflammatory factors and selenoproteins in chicken neutrophils.

Exposure to the combination of a contaminant and an immunological challenge during development may greatly increase the impact of either or both of these stressors on an individual. This study investigated the interacting effects of a nonpathogenic immunological challenge and lead shot exposure early in the development of a precocial species. Seventy-one quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) chicks orally received either one #9 lead shot (0.05 g), four lead shots (0.2 g), or no lead at the age of 8 days. A third of each of these groups of chicks were intraperitoneally injected with either 0.075 ml of 10% chukar (Alectoris graeca) red blood cells (CRBCs), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), or a placebo oil vaccine at 13 and 35 days of age. There was no difference in the survival between any of the lead or antigen treatment groups. Lead concentrations in blood were greater for the lead-dosed groups on day 49 but not on day 128. Growth curves were approximated by Weibull functions; growth parameters did not differ between lead-treated and antigen-treated birds. CRBC antigen increases fluctuating asymmetry (FA) for primary feather five, while NDV reduced FA. Lead did not affect antibody production or cell-mediated immune response. White blood cell numbers increased 7 days after antigen injection on days 27 and 49 of age. Granulocyte numbers were significantly higher for the lead-treated quail than the control quail, and both antigen-treated groups had lower granulocyte numbers than control quail. The treatment groups of combining NDV and lead shot had an average plasma protein 14% lower than other groups. Lead shot in the highest of these doses lowered asymptotic weights, increased hematocrits, lowered plasma protein, and increased granulocyte numbers of quail.

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Physiological, Growth, and Immune Responses of Japanese Quail Chicks to the Multiple Stressors of Immunological Challenge and Lead Shot

The immunologic effects of lead were measured in game-farm mallards (Anas platy- rhynchos) that ingested lead shot while foraging naturally, mallards intubated with lead shot, and unexposed controls Circulating white blood cells (WBC) declined significantly in male mallards exposed to lead by either natural ingestion or intubation, but not females Spleen plaque-forming cell (SPFC) counts were significantly lower in mallards intubated with lead pellets compared to controls Declines in WBC and SPFC means with increasing tissue lead concentrations provide further evidence that lead exposure reduced immunologic cell numbers Hormonal activity and diet may have influenced the immunologic effects of lead exposure in this study

Effects of lead shot ingestion on selected cells of the

The effect of aqueous lead acetate given per os to chickens for 35 consecutive days and the effect of lead on interferon and antibody production was investigated. Chickens were found to tolerate levels of lead as high as 160 mg/kg/day without exhibiting clinical signs or hematological changes in spite of very high levels of lead in the blood (6.2 ppm). It is apparent from these findings that chickens are more resistant to lead poisoning than humans, horses, dogs and wild fowl such as ducks. Subclinical lead doses did not affect interferon induction in response to statolon and Newcastle Disease virus (NDV)-B(1). Interferon concentrations and duration in serum were markedly decreased in chickens which received lead at the 320 mg/kg level. Long time lead exposure had no marked effect on antibody production to NDV in chickens. No consistent correlation was observed between blood lead concentration and antibody titer. The results of these studies indicate that long term subclinical lead intake suppresses neither interferon nor antibody production in chickens.

C J Maré

Papers

Lead poisoning in chickens and the effect of lead on interferon and antibody production.