Tungsten effects on B lymphocyte development.

钨在元素周期表中用字母“W”表示，紧挨着钼(Mo)和铬。W在现代技术中的使用越来越多。钨很轻，但很灵活，很结实。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，如辐射防护罩和动脉支架。钨与其他几种金属一起开采，第二大钨开采作业在加拿大。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表明，钨可以改变免疫反应。我们已经描述过，钨改变了骨髓中B淋巴细胞的发育，B淋巴细胞是产生抗体的免疫细胞。我们发现，发展中的一个特定阶段增加了。我们现在建议进行实验，以确定导致B淋巴细胞增加的基因表达变化，并确定钨是否会改变成熟B淋巴细胞的功能。钨是否会改变B淋巴细胞对抗原的正常反应？最后，需要钼作为辅因子的酶可能会被钨抑制。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.**