Immunotoxicity of PCBs (Aroclors) in relation to Great Lakes.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are among the most widespread environmental pollutants and a prominent contaminant of the Great Lakes basin. Due to their resistance to biodegradation and lipophilic properties, PCBs bioaccumulate in fish tissues and in fish-eating humans. PCBs are also known to cross the placenta and to be excreted into the mother's milk, thus predisposing the infant to potentially adverse health effects. For example, a higher incidence of bacterial infections was reported for breast-fed infants born to mothers who consumed large amounts of Great Lakes fish compared to the incidence in control infants whose mothers ingested low amounts of fish. While data regarding the PCB-induced immunotoxic effects in humans are scarce, data derived from the use of experimental animals, including nonhuman primates, indicate that the immune system is a potential target for the immunotoxic effects of PCBs. Such studies have used the commercially available PCB mixtures alone. However, PCBs have the potenti...