Assessment of immunologic alterations caused by halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons.

The rational for employing a particular approach and some of the difficulties that can be encountered when adapting immune surveillance to toxicology studies in experimental animals are discussed. Detailed description of methodology will not be reviewed. In general, assays are selected for their reliability, i.e. fairly standard within a normal population; that are capable of detecting subtle differences in immune status; and are specific for particular aspects of the immune system. Since normal immune responses are directly dependent upon at least three distinct subpopulations of lymphocytes, macrophages and their cooperative interactions as well as a number of indirect factors, it is essential to study multiple parameters to properly evaluate the effects of environmental chemicals on the immune system. Immunologic assessment is further complicated by the fact that the immune effects will vary dependent upon the chemical and dosage level as well as the species and age of the experimental animals.