Subacute immunotoxicity study of formaldehyde in male rats.

Immune functions were examined in male rats following 28 day oral administration of formaldehyde by gastric tube at dose levels of 0, 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg. Routine parameters examined included hematology, clinical chemistry, and body, thymus, kidney, and liver weights. In addition, cellularity of spleen and lymph nodes, histology of spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, liver kidney, small and large intestines, and histochemistry of spleen and lymph nodes were evaluated. Immune parameters evaluated included serum hemagglutinin antibody response; antibody plaque forming cell response to sheep erythrocytes (lymphocyte-dependent antigen); microbicidal activity of Candida albicans; and phagocytic activity by adhesion of microspheric hydrophilic synthetic particles to leukocyte cell membrane. Body weights were slightly decreased at high dose level (80 mg/kg). The difference was significant when compared to the controls. The lymph node weights were significantly increased in rats receiving formaldehyde. The cellularity of lymphoid organs was not influenced after 28 day exposure to formaldehyde.