Effect of 2,5-hexanediol on immunocompetence of mice.

A preliminary study on immunotoxicologic evaluation of 2,5-hexanediol (one of the principal metabolites of n-hexane), involving multiple immunological parameters, was carried out in mice. Mice were exposed to 2,5-hexanediol at a 1/5 LD50 dose level for 7 days. Pathotoxicological changes such as marked reduction in absolute and relative lymphoid organ weights, histological abnormalities in thymus, spleen, and adrenal, and reduction in cellularity of lymphoid organs were found. Immune function tests such as delayed hypersensitivity reactions, plaque-forming cell assays, serum antibody titer against SRBC, and resistance to endotoxin shock were also markedly impaired. Results obtained in this study showed that 2,5-hexanediol causes impairment to immunocompetence in mice.