Effects of coal dust and diesel exhaust on immune competence in rats

Abstract

The effects on the immune system of rats that had been exposed to 2 mg/m3 of respirable coal dust, diesel exhaust fumes and particulates or the combination of these were studied. Animals that were housed similarly but exposed only to filtered air served as controls. After 12 and 24 mo. of exposure, the rats were tested for immunocompetency by enumerating antibody-producing cells in the spleen 4 days after immunization with sheep erythrocytes and by monitoring the proliferative response of splenic T-lymphocytes to the mitogens concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin. No major alterations occurred in the immunologic functions measured as a result of exposure to coal dust, diesel exhaust fumes and particulates or their combination.