Tanvisith Charoenying creator Jutamaad Satayavivad Chairperson Preeda Pakpian Examination Committee Apinya Thiantanawat Examination committee Sansanee Chaiyaroj Examination committee Chulabhorn Research Institute Scholarship donor Mahidol University Scholarship donor Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship Scholarship donor Royal Thai Government Scholarship donor text series technical report th Pathum Thani, Thailand Asian Institute of Technology 2010 continuing eng 118 p. : ill. Concerns over adverse effects of pesticide -induced immunotoxic effects are heightened; however , knowledge on this area is relatively still limited . Subsequent to the discovery of non- neuronal cholinergic system in lymphocytes; suggesting that it might be susceptible to pesticides exposure. Pesticides namely, permethrin (PM), deltamethrin (DM), pa raquat (PQ), and paraoxon (PO) were selected to study for their immuno toxic effects. PM and PQ were studied in mice challenged with Plasmodium berghei . The resul ts showed that survival time of mice was significantly reduced and parasitemia percentages of PM- treated groups were slightly higher than control group as a result of prior oral exposure to PM for 14 days and during malaria infection . In contrast, PQ did not increase host susceptibility to Plasmodium infection in PQ -treated mice. The in vitro study showed that all selected pesticides reduced viability of SH -SY5Y, human neuroblastoma and MOLT -3, human leukemic T -lymphocytes cells. The effects of PO were fur ther investigated in SH -SY5Y and MOLT -3 cells. PO were able to induce change s of cholinergic system in both cells in a more or less similar response profile demonstrated by over -expression of AChE, a marker of apoptosis, alterations of M1, M2, and M3 mAChR s mRNA or protein s, and activation of the 2early responsive gene3 c -Fos gene expression. Moreover, the PO -induced activation N -AChE and c -Fos in both neuronal and non- neuronal cells were able to p artially be blocked by atropine indicating that mAChRs activ ation is partially involved in the PO -mediated cellular responses. Taken together, the results suggest that certain neurotoxic pesticides can elicit neurotoxic and immunotoxic effects. The similarity of the response profile in both neuronal and non- neuronal cells suggest that biological functions of such components are, more or less, alike. This present study provides initial and additional information in whic h non- neuronal lymphocytic muscarinic receptors are possible potential targets for pesticides -indu ced immunotoxic effects. In addition the present study also strengthens the belief of using lymphocytes as a surrogate marker for evaluating neurotoxic condition as the consequence of certain pesticides exposure. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Engineering and Management Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology - Chulabhorn Research Institute - Mahidal University, 2010 Pesticides Physiological effect Mice Effect of pesticides on Asian Institute of Technology. http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B00562 http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B00562 110606 20260818095308.0