Histological effects of ricin on liver, spleen, thymus, lung and heart of mouse

Ricin의 독성이 생쥐의 간. 비장, 흉성, 폐 및 심장에 미치는 영향에 관한 조직학적 연구

The pathological aspects of purified ricin from the seeds of the castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, were examined, using light and transmission electron microscopy. ICR mice were exposed to ricin by peritoneal injection with 100 ng/1 $m\ell$ PBS(pH 7.0) mouse and histological observations on the liver, spleen, thymus, lung and heart were carried out at intervals up to 48 h after exposures. All the organs examined were damaged by ricin. Among the organs, the spleen and thymus; immune organs were the most sensitive to ricin, whereas the effect delayed in the liver, lung and heart. Furthermore, the immune cells in each organ were the most sensitive to ricin. Accordingly, the effect of ricin on the organs seems to be affected by the immune cells existed in each organ, In each organ, the immune cells showed apoptotic changes, while the capillary endothelial and parenchymal cells showed necrotic changes.