Value of Murine Helper T Cell Lines for in Vitro Evaluation of Toxicant-Mediated Immune Alterations

Chemicals are known to disturb immune system, resulting in various immunopathologic disorders. The chemicals-induced immune modulation has been studied using experimental animals, mostly mice. Meanwhile, in vitro system using animal cell lines has been developed and applied to investigate xenobiotics-mediated immune dysregulation. Imbalance in helper T cell subset activities is known to cause suppression of host defense against pathogenic microorganisms or induction of aberrant hyperreactive responses leading to autoimmune or allergic diseases. The effect of xenobiotics on helper T cell subset reactivities can be investigated through in vitro co-culture system. In the in vitro co-culture system, mouse splenocytes or mouse cell lines expressing appropriate major histocompatibility complex class II haplotype are presenting antigens to helper T clonal cells. Therefore, the in vitro system can be applied to evaluate the influence of xenobiotics on antigen-dependent interactions between antigen presenting cells and helper T cells. Considering recent trends to develop an in vitro model for evaluating toxicity or effectiveness of chemicals, pharmaceutical products, or functional food ingredients, the in vitro co-culture system may be a reasonable candidate to investigate xenobiotics-induced immune modulation.