Exposure to occupationally relevant concentrations of the environmental pollutant, trichloroethylene (TCE), in the drinking water of autoimmune-prone MRL+/+ mice has been shown to promote the generation of lupus and autoimmune hepatitis in association with the activation of Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-producing CD4+ T cells. Since blocking TCE metabolism suppressed the TCE-induced alteration in immune function, the present study was initiated to determine whether the major metabolites of TCE, trichloroacetaldehyde hydrate (TCAH) and trichloroacetic acid (TCA) could also mediate these immunoregulatory affects in vivo. TCAH and TCA were administered to the drinking water of MRL+/+ mice for 4 weeks. CD4+ T cells from TCAH and TCA-treated MRL+/+ mice, unlike CD4+ T cells from control mice, demonstrated functional and phenotypic signs of activation, as evidenced by increased IFN-gamma production in association with the increased percentage of CD62L(lo) CD4+ T cells. Interestingly, it was also found that the CD4+ T cells from the TCAH and TCA-treated mice showed a decreased susceptibility to the activation-induced cell death (AICD) form of apoptosis following re-stimulation in vitro. By demonstrating that TCAH and TCA can activate CD4+ T cells and inhibit their apoptosis following in vivo exposure represents a mechanism by which environmental toxicants may induce or accelerate the development of autoimmune disease.