TCDD-Mediated Suppression of the In Vitro Anti-Sheep Erythrocyte IgM Antibody Forming Cell Response Is Reversed by Interferon-Gamma

Toxicological Sciences. 2009;107(1):85-92

Abstract: Suppression of humoral immune responses by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) has been well established to require the aryl hydrocarbon receptor; however, the downstream mechanisms for this immunotoxic response remain poorly understood. Based on evidence demonstrating that primary hepatocytes pretreated with interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) exhibited decreased induction of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) by TCDD, and that serum factors alter the sensitivity of the in vitro T-cell–dependent IgM antibody forming cell (AFC) response, it was hypothesized that IFN-γ attenuates suppression of humoral immune responses by TCDD. In fact, concomitant addition of IFN-γ (100 U/ml) produced a concentration-related attenuation of TCDD-mediated suppression of the anti-sheep erythrocyte (anti-sRBC) IgM AFC response. Time-of-addition studies performed by adding 100 U/ml IFN-γ at 0, 1, 2, 4, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h post-TCDD showed that suppression of the AFC response was prevented only when IFN-γ was added within 2 h of TCDD treatment. mRNA levels of the IgM components, immunoglobulin κ light chain, immunoglobulin μ heavy chain, and immunoglobulin J-chain were significantly decreased by TCDD treatment, an effect that was completely reversed by IFN-γ (100 U/ml) cotreatment. Further studies showed that IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ significantly attenuate TCDD-induced increases in CYP1A1 mRNA levels to varying degrees, but concentrations as high as 1000 U/ml of type I IFNs did not reverse the effect of TCDD on the anti-sRBC IgM AFC response. In summary, IFN-γ prevents TCDD-mediated suppression of the IgM AFC response in a concentration- and time-related manner by altering transcriptional effects associated with TCDD treatment.

To download an open-access PDF copy, click here.