Skip to main content
PMC home page
Immunology logoLink to Immunology
. 1977 Mar;32(3):345–350.

Depression of T-cell function and normality of B-cell response in protein calorie malnutrition.

R B Narayanan, I Nath, U N Bhuyan, G P Talwar
PMCID: PMC1445275  PMID: 403130

Abstract

Antibody response to a T-cell dependent antigen, sheep erythrocytes and to a B-cell mitogen, purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS), has been studied in mice kept on protein deficient (2 and 4 per cent casein) diets. The number of plaque-forming cells (PFC) to SRBC were 20-5 +/- 7-7 per million spleen cells in protein-deficient animals compared to 261-0 +/- 31-1 in parallel controls maintained on a protein rich diet (18 per cent casein). No difference was observed in number of PFC formed in controls and deficient animals to LPS, values were 161-4 +/- 19-7, 158-5 +/- 14-2, & 162-3 +/- 31-9 in control (18 per cent casein) and deficient groups (4 per cent and 2 per cent casein) respectively. The delayed hypersensitivity skin reaction to SRBC measured in foot pads was significantly lower in mice on 4 per cent casein diet compared to controls. These studies suggest that the effect of protein deficiency is primarily on T-cell function and not on the B-cell response;

Full text

PDF
345

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Andersson J., Sjöberg O., Möller G. Mitogens as probes for immunocyte activation and cellular cooperation. Transplant Rev. 1972;11:131–177. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-065x.1972.tb00048.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BROWN R. E., KATZ M. ANTIGENIC STIMULATION IN UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN. East Afr Med J. 1965 May;42:221–232. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bhuyan U. N., Ramalingaswami V. Immune responses of the protein-deficient guinea pig to BCG vaccination. Am J Pathol. 1973 Sep;72(3):489–502. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chandra R. K. Immunocompetence in undernutrition. J Pediatr. 1972 Dec;81(6):1194–1200. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(72)80262-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cooper W. C., Good R. A., Mariani T. Effects of protein insufficiency on immune responsiveness. Am J Clin Nutr. 1974 Jun;27(6):647–664. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/27.6.647. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Faulk W. P., Demaeyer E. M., Davies A. J. Some effects of malnutrition on the immune response in man. Am J Clin Nutr. 1974 Jun;27(6):638–646. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/27.6.638. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. HARLAND P. S., BROWN R. E. TUBERCULIN SENSITIVITY FOLLOWING B.C.G. VACCINATION IN UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN. East Afr Med J. 1965 May;42:233–238. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Harland P. S. Tuberculin reactions in malnourished children. Lancet. 1965 Oct 9;2(7415):719–721. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(65)90457-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lagrange P. H., Mackaness G. B., Miller T. E. Influence of dose and route of antigen injection on the immunological induction of T cells. J Exp Med. 1974 Mar 1;139(3):528–542. doi: 10.1084/jem.139.3.528. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Smythe P. M., Brereton-Stiles G. G., Grace H. J., Mafoyane A., Schonland M., Coovadia H. M., Loening W. E., Parent M. A., Vos G. H. Thymolymphatic deficiency and depression of cell-mediated immunity in protein-calorie malnutrition. Lancet. 1971 Oct 30;2(7731):939–943. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)90267-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Watson J., Riblet R. Genetic control of responses to bacterial lipopolysaccharides in mice. I. Evidence for a single gene that influences mitogenic and immunogenic respones to lipopolysaccharides. J Exp Med. 1974 Nov 1;140(5):1147–1161. doi: 10.1084/jem.140.5.1147. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES