Hi immunotoxicologists,
Flow-cytometrically speaking, there are a few things that could be
approached in immunotoxicology, as there are several
lymphocyte-expressed biomarkers (surface or intracellular) whose
quantity/quality varies after exposure to noxious compounds. The
reference below would illustrate this:
"Masten S.A. and Shiverick K.T. (1995) The Ah receptor recognizes DNA
binding sites for the B cell transcription factor, BSAP: a possible
mechanism for dioxin-mediated alteration of CD19 gene expression in
human B lymphocytes. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
212,27-34."
In vitro exposure of B cells to various toxical agents (dioxins,
furans, PAHs, etc.) results in the alteration of the AhR intracellular
levels and of other cell surface markers (like CD19). Antibodies to AhR
are commercially available and can be used in flow cytometry for
intracellular staining, using liver tissue as control. We tried this and
it seems to work.
This is just one of the few things that can be done in
immunotoxicology but there are many other markers expressed in
lymphocytes and whose expression can change after in vitro/in vivo
exposure to xenobiotics; probably they could be assessed too by
flow-cytometry, using some routine protocols.
Cordially,
Calin Tatu.
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