Enhancement of the in vitro antibody response in dietary protein restriction. Failure in the regulation of antibody synthesis

• Published in: Immunology Vol. 43; no. 2; pp. 235 - 241
• Main Authors: Pocino, M, Malavé, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.06.1981
• Subjects: Animals; Cells, Cultured; Cyclophosphamide - pharmacology; Erythrocytes - immunology; Hemolytic Plaque Technique; Immunoglobulin M - biosynthesis; Immunosuppression; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Protein Deficiency - immunology; Spleen - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Trinitrobenzenes - immunology
• ISSN: 0019-2805; 1365-2567

We have studied the antibody response in vitro of spleen cells from C57BL/6 mice kept on a protein deficient (D) or a normal diet (N). Short or long term protein restriction initiated after weaning led to increased plaque forming cell (PFC) responses to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), TNP-ficoll and TNP lipopolysaccharide. The influence of dietary restriction on the suppression of the antibody response to SRBC was studied in mixed cultures of antigen sensitized and fresh, non-immune cells from either D or N donors. Addition of pre-sensitized D or N cells to non-immune N spleen cells in a 1:1000 ratio resulted in marked suppression of the PFC response whereas co-cultures of pre-sensitized cells and non-immune D spleen cells did not result in significant suppression. Similarly, non-immune T cells from DF mice exerted a lower suppressor effect than non-immune T cells from N mice. Either dietary restriction or low dose cyclophosphamide treatment of the donors of non-immune spleen cells determined a similar reduction in suppression. It is suggested that nutritional deficiency selectively depletes short-lived suppressor effector lymphocytes which are activated in the presence of antigen-stimulated inducer cells.