Styrene induced pancreatic changes in rodents.

Subchronic oral exposure to styrene in rodents (25 or 50 mg/kg/day in mice; 160 or 320 mg/kg/day in rats and guinea pigs, 5 days/week) for 4 weeks resulted in moderate congestion of pancreatic lobules, focal inflammatory reactions around islets (in mice) and altered serum insulin level while blood glucose levels remained unaffected. Increased beta cell degranulation together with characteristic neoformation of islets were predominantly seen in pancreas of guinea pigs.

Modulatory effects of metanil yellow on immunity in rodents.

Pathomorphological and immunological studies were carried out on rodents following oral administration of 0, 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5% (w/w) metanil yellow, mixed in diet, for 30 days. No significant change in hematologic parameters and histologic architecture of liver, kidney, mesenteric lymph node, thymus and urinary bladder was observed except for mild desquamation of intestinal villi and moderate changes in Peyer's patches of small intestine with higher doses. Among immunological parameters, significant enhancement in the primary humoral immune response (anti-SRBC IgM plaque forming cells of spleen) was observed with the lowest dose of metanil yellow while higher doses produced opposing effects. An elevated cutaneous delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction to SRBC was seen in 0.1% metanil yellow treated animals but higher doses did not influence the reaction. The treatment also caused changes in functional capabilities of macrophages. Although these immune alterations could hardly influence the local immunity of gut, as measured by the capacity of animals to cause rejection of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis parasite, the potential to modulate the immunity in general by metanil yellow however assumes considerable biological significance.