Time-related changes in splenic immunocyte population in mice after a subcutaneous injection of beryllium

Objective: We studied time-related changes in splenic immunocyte population in mice after a subcutaneous injection of beryllium (Be). Material and methods: We analyzed cell populations in spleen of mice, which was injected with 50 μg of Be by a flow-cytometric assay. Results: The percentage of lymphoid cells decreased and the percentages of granulocyte-like cells and macrophage-like cells increased in the mice at the 3rd day after injection (the Be-3 group). Then, the percentages of the CD4-positive cells and the CD8-positive cells were significantly lower and the percentage of the B cells was significantly higher in the Be-3 group than in the untreated mice (the Cont group), Conclusion: The rate of CD4- and CD8-positive cells to B cells in the Be-3 group was significantly lower than that in the Cont group. In our previous paper, we reported that Be promoted the complement and coagulant system at 3 days after injection. These findings suggested that the activity of cellular immunity was suppressed and that of humoral immunity was enhanced at the 3rd day after the Be injection.