Abstract
The aim of this study is to identify the combined effect of multiple chemicals to the development of allergy. In this study, the effect of prenatal exposure to an organochlorine agent methoxychlor (MXC) and/or an organophosphate agent parathion (PARA) on trimellitic anhydride-induced allergic airway inflammation was examined in mice. Eosinophil infiltration in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was significantly enhanced by MXC + PARA exposure compared to that of the control, MXC, and PARA groups. In the hilar lymph node, only slight increases in B-cell infiltration, as well as IL-6 and IL-9 secretions were observed in MXC + PARA group, and no effect was observed in the individual treatment groups. Our findings imply that prenatal exposure to some combinations of multiple chemicals may exacerbate the allergic inflammatory responses including eosinophils and cytokine production.