Strain differences of cadmium-induced toxicity in rats: Insight from spleen and lung immune responses

• Strain differences in acute cadmium immunotoxicity are explored in DA and AO rats.
• Cadmium affected spleen and lungs cells immune response in DA and AO rats.
• The degree of some changes differ between strains in both compartments.
• Data depict complex influence of genetic background on the cadmium immunotoxicity.

The impact of genetic background on effects of acute i.p. cadmium administration (0.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg) on basic immune activity of spleen and lungs was examined in two rat strains, Albino Oxford (AO) and Dark Agouti (DA), known to react differently to chemicals. More pronounced inhibition of Concanavalin A (ConA)-induced and Interleukin (IL)-2 stimulated spleen cell proliferation as well as higher levels of nitric oxide (known to decrease cell’s proliferative ability) in DA rats at 1 mg/kg, along with greater inhibition of ConA-induced Interferon (IFN-γ)-production by total and mononuclear (MNC) spleen cells and IL-17 production by spleen MNC in DA vs. AO rats at this dose show greater susceptibility of this strain to Cd effects on spleen cells response. More pronounced infiltration of neutrophils/CD11b+ cells to lungs of DA rats treated with 1 mg/kg of Cd and decreased IL-17 lung cell responses noted solely in DA rats speaks in favor of their higher susceptibility to this metal. However, lack of strain disparity in lung cells IFN-γ responses show that there are regional differences as well. Novel data from this study depict complexity of the influence of genetic background on the effects of cadmium on host immune reactivity.