New environmental compound Cetoline was found to cause serio

New environmental compound, Cetoline was found to cause serious effects on the immune system. It is not known which cells are the targets of this chemical’s action. You are asked to do a comprehensive study to discover as much as possible about the compound and its mechanism. Design and outline experiments that you would conduct to get information.

Solution

Once it is established that the cetoline has serious effects on the immune system then further following study could be carried out to find the mechanism of the compound and involvement of particular cells. The data from standard toxicity study could be further investigated for:

> Heamatoly and clinical chemistry: Total leukocytes counts and total diffrential leukocytes counts are recomended. Changes in immunoglobulins levels can be useful in order to understand the mechanism.

> Histopathology examination: histopathological changes in thymus and spleen could indicate systemic immunotoxicity. Highest concentration should be cosidered during study.

> T cells dependent antibodies response: By using a recognized T cell dependent antigen for example, sheep RBC, T cells dependent antibodies response study can be achieved.

> Natural killer cells activity assay: Natural killer cells study should prformed if standard toxicity studies shows incresed viral infection rates. Either by traditional radiolabelled technique or by new well validated nonradiolabelled technique.

> Macrophage/ Neutrophil function: Phagocytosis, chemotaxis, oxidative burst study can be performed to evaluate macrphage/ neutrophil functions.

> Assay to measure cell mediated immunity: Not well established but still cell mediated study can be achieved by using antigens for sensitization.