Immunotoxicity of Tributyltin Oxide in Rats Exposed as Adults or Pre-Weanlings

摘要

A comparison was made between adult and pre-weaning rats of the immunotoxic effects of acute dosing with bis(tri-n-butyltin) oxide (TBTO). Adult (9 week old) male Fischer rats were dosed by oral gavage with TBTO for ten consecutive days at 2.5 to 10 mg/kg/dose or three times per week for a total of ten doses at 1.25 to 20 mg/kg/dose. Adult rats similarly dosed by oral gavage with 6 mg/kg/dose cyclophosphamide (CY) served as positive controls. Pre-weaning rats (3 to 24 days old) were dosed three times per week for a total of ten doses at 2.5, 5 or 10 mg/kg/dose. The data indicate that exposure of young rats to TBTO resulted in immune alterations at doses lower than those required to suppress responses in adults and as such are similar to earlier observations on the enhanced immunotoxicity of the organotin compound dioctyltin dichloride (DOTC) in pre-weaning rats. (Copyright (c) 1989 Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland, Ltd.)