Effects of lead toxicity on some important immune factors in human and experimental animals

Lead [pb] is the most common environmental and workplace contaminantpresenting health problem following exposure. This study aimed to investigatethe effect of lead on serum immunoglobulins [IgG and IgM] in exposed workersafter detecting its level in their blood and detect IgG and IgM in serumof albino rats after exposure with detecting IgE that bind to specificcell surface receptors on tissue mast cells. Serum IgG and IgM levels wereestimated by an enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. Rats weresacrificed to study mast cell degranulation. The results showed a significantdecrease in IgG and IgM level together with an increase degranulation of mast.cells