Impaired Morphological and Functional Maturation of the Spleen during Puberty in Rats Exposed to Low Doses of Endocrine Disruptor DDT.

The morphological and functional parameters of the spleen development during pubertal period were studied in rats exposed to low doses of the endocrine disruptor dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in the prenatal and postnatal periods. Despite the spleen weight and the amount of lymphoid tissue in it were similar to the control values, delayed formation of germinal centers in lymphoid nodules and impaired migration of neutrophils to the red pulp and marginal zone were revealed in DDT-exposed rats. Along with these signs, the processes of hematopoiesis were more active in the spleen, which in general indicates a delay in its functional maturation as an organ of the immune system and increases the risk of impaired development of immune reactions.