Originally published December 12 2005
Researchers discover how lead damages the immune system
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
At the University of Rochester Medical Center, researchers have found that lead disrupts T-cells in mice and compromises the immune system's ability to check pathogens.
The discovery adds insight to the latest trend in lead research, as scientists shift their emphasis from the immediate public health threat to understanding the long-term burden on the body, said Michael McCabe Jr., Ph.D., associate professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Rochester.
"We know more about lead than any other environmental agent, but we're still trying to understand exactly why lead is dangerous and what its legacy might be," said McCabe, who co-authored a recent study published in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.
Our research shows there may be additional long-term health threats," McCabe said.
"Lead appears to disrupt the immune system's checks and balances, which must be in place if we are to successfully fight off pathogens.
Our continuing research is aimed at discovering how lead upsets the balance of cells charged with protecting us."
Graduate student David G. Farrer, of the Department of Environment Medicine, who established that T cell function was targeted by lead, performed the laboratory work.
Farrer also has shown that another crucial immune system cell -- myeloid suppressor cells, which control runaway immune responses -- may also be disrupted by lead exposure in mice.
Already, scientists know that lead is toxic to the nervous system and certain regions of the brain.
An estimated 434,000 children in the United States under age 5 have lead levels in their blood that are higher than the limit set by the Centers for Disease Control.
Toxic exposure usually occurs in older housing, where children come in contact with lead paint and dust and, as a result, may experience intellectual impairment, behavioral problems and lifelong health issues.
The effects of lead in children are irreversible, so public health officials are primarily focused on preventing these exposures.
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