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N,N,-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) suppresses humoral immunological function in B6C3F1 mice.
- Source :
-
Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology [Toxicol Sci] 2009 Mar; Vol. 108 (1), pp. 110-23. Date of Electronic Publication: 2009 Jan 13. - Publication Year :
- 2009
-
Abstract
- N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) is a particularly effective broad-spectrum insect repellent used commonly in recreational, occupational and military environments. Due to its widespread use and suggested link to Gulf War Illness, this study examined the immunotoxicity of DEET. Adult female B6C3F1 mice were injected sc for 14 days with DEET at 0, 7.7, 15.5, 31, or 62 mg/kg/day. Due to differences in the dermal absorption of DEET between mice and humans, this study eliminated this confounding factor by utilizing sc injection and measured circulating blood levels of DEET to assess bioavailability from sc administration. Effects on lymphocyte proliferation, natural killer cell activity, thymus and spleen weight and cellularity, the antibody plaque-forming cell (PFC) response, and thymic and splenic CD4/CD8 lymphocyte subpopulations were assessed 24 h after the last dose. No effect was observed in lymphocyte proliferation, natural killer cell activity, thymic weight, splenic weight, thymic cellularity, or splenic cellularity. Significant decreases were observed in the percentage of splenic CD4-/CD8- and CD4+/CD8- lymphocytes but only at the 62 mg DEET/kg/day treatment level and not in absolute numbers of these cells types. Additionally, significant decreases in the antibody PFC response were observed following treatment with 15.5, 31, or 62 mg DEET/kg/day. Pharmacokinetic (PK) data from the current study indicate 95% bioavailability of the administered dose. Therefore, it is likely that DEET exposure ranges applied in this study are comparable to currently reported occupational usage. Together, the evidence for immunosuppression and available PK data suggest a potential human health risk associated with DEET in the occupational or military environments assuming similar sensitivity between human and rodent responses.
- Subjects :
- Analysis of Variance
Animals
Antibody Formation drug effects
B-Lymphocytes immunology
Biological Availability
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes immunology
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes immunology
Cell Proliferation drug effects
DEET administration & dosage
DEET pharmacokinetics
Female
Humans
Immunosuppressive Agents administration & dosage
Immunosuppressive Agents pharmacokinetics
Inactivation, Metabolic
Injections, Intravenous
Injections, Subcutaneous
Insect Repellents administration & dosage
Insect Repellents pharmacokinetics
Killer Cells, Natural immunology
Male
Mice
Models, Animal
Persian Gulf Syndrome
Spleen cytology
Thymus Gland cytology
DEET toxicity
Immune Tolerance drug effects
Immunosuppressive Agents toxicity
Insect Repellents toxicity
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1096-0929
- Volume :
- 108
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 19141786
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfp001