Effects of carbon dust inhalation on the cell-mediated immune response in mice.

The effects of carbon dust inhalation on the bone marrow-derived (B) and thymus-derived (T) lymphocyte populations of spleen and mediastinal lymph node (MLN) cultures were examined. The concanavalin A (Con A)-responsive cell population (T cells) in the spleen was found to be depressed after 7 days of pre-exposure to carbon dust. However, this effect was transient, and after 14, 21, and 28 days of pre-exposure to carbon dust, the Con A-responsive cells exhibited a 30 to 40% enhancement over control group responses. Conversely, Con A-responsive cells in the pooled MLN cultures exhibited depression, ranging from 22 to 33% below control group values, after 7, 14, and 28 days of pre-exposure to carbon dust. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-responsive cell population (B cells) in the spleens of carbon-exposed mice was found not to differ significantly from control group values after all times of pre-exposure. LPS-responsive cells in the MLN cultures exhibited enhancement, ranging from 49 to 74% above control values, after 14, 21, and 28 days of pre-exposure to carbon dust. The ability of carbon spleen cell cultures from carbon-exposed mice to undergo antigen induced blast transformation after sensitization with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra was also determined. Mice exposed to carbon dust inhalation 2 weeks before and 3 weeks after aerosol or subcutaneous immunization exhibited significantly enhanced ratios of transformation upon culture of their spleen lymphocytes with purified protein derivative of tuberculin.