The effect of ethephon on immune system in male offspring of mice

•Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) in male pups was inhibited when exposed to ethephon during pregnancy and lactation period.•Hemolytic plaque number in spleen of male pups could be decreased by ethephon when exposed during pregnancy and lactation period.•Ethephon showed developmental immunotoxicity on male offspring.•The expression or phosphorylation of Bcl11b, p-p38 in pups inhibited by ethephon when exposed during pregnancy and lactation period.

Ethephon can liberate ethylene which could interfere the plant growth process. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of ethephon on developing immune system of male offspring. Ethephon could enhance NK cell activity in male mice. For 4-week-old male mice, lymphocytes of peripheral blood increased while the hemolytic plaque number decreased. Delayed type hypersensitivity(DTH) was inhibited in all groups. The expression of protein Bcl11b and p-p38 in thymus of treatment groups were lower than control group. Our results indicated that cellular immunity of male offspring is more sensitive to ethephon when exposed in pregnancy and lactation period. It should be emphasized that exposure to ethephon during the in utero stage and lactation stage still could damage the immune function of animal in the period before fully mature even in the dosage that could not influence the immune function of adult animal.