Tungsten effects on B lymphocyte development.

钨在元素周期表中以字母“W”表示，位于钼（Mo）和铬的正下方。 W在现代技术中的使用越来越多。 钨是重量轻，但灵活和强大。 钨现在用于制造许多商品，包括灯泡，计算机，弹药，建筑设备和医疗设备，如辐射屏蔽和动脉支架。 钨与其他几种金属一起沿着开采，加拿大是第二大钨开采地。 钨使用量的增加意味着更多的钨被开采，环境污染也在增加。 我的研究小组和其他人已经证明钨会改变免疫反应。 我们已经描述了钨改变了骨髓中产生抗体的免疫细胞B淋巴细胞的发育。我们发现发展中的一个特定阶段增加了。我们现在提出的实验，以确定基因表达的变化，导致增加B淋巴细胞，并确定是否钨改变成熟的B淋巴细胞的功能。 钨改变B淋巴细胞对抗原的正常反应吗？ 最后，需要钼作为辅因子的酶可能被钨抑制。 因此，我们将确定添加钼是否可以逆转钨对B淋巴细胞的影响。

Tungsten is represented by the letter “W” on the periodic table right below molybdenum (Mo) and chromium. W is increasing used in modern technology. Tungsten is light-weight, yet flexible and strong. Tungsten is now used in the manufacture of many goods including light bulbs, computers, ammunitions, construction equipment, and medical devices, such as radiation shields and arterial stents. Tungsten is mined along with several other metals, and the second largest tungsten mining operation is found in Canada. The increased usage of tungsten means that more is mined and that environmental contamination is increasing. My research group and others have shown that tungsten alters the immune response. We have described that tungsten alters the development of B lymphocytes, the immune cells that produce antibody, within the bone marrow. We find that a particular stage in development is increased. We now propose experiments to define the gene expression changes that lead to increased B lymphocytes and determine whether tungsten alter the function of mature B lymphocytes. Does tungsten alter the normal response of B lymphocytes to antigen? Finally, enzymes that require molybdenum as a co-factor may be inhibited by tungsten. Thus, we will determine whether addition of molybdenum can reverse the effects of tungsten on B lymphocytes.