Thymocytes are activated by toluene inhalation through the transcription factors NF-κB, STAT5 and NF-AT

✍ Scribed by Jiqin Liu; Yasuhiro Yoshida; Naoki Kunugita; Junko Noguchi; Tsutomu Sugiura; Ning Ding; Keiichi Arashidani; Hidekazu Fujimaki; Uki Yamashita

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 280 KB
• Volume: 30
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0260-437X
• DOI: 10.1002/jat.1536

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Toluene has been extensively examined for effects on the central nervous system. To investigate the influence of low‐level inhalation of toluene on the naive immune cells, male C3H/HeN mice were exposed to filtered air (control) and 50 ppm of toluene for 3 weeks. Low‐level exposure resulted in (1) increased proliferation of thymocytes, (2) IL‐2 production induced in thymocytes and (3) activation of the transcription factors NF‐__κ__B, STAT5 and NF‐AT in thymocytes. These results suggest that thymocytes are sensitive cells and T cell activators are candidates for biomarkers for low‐level exposure to toluene on naive immune cells. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.