Skip to main content

Some NLM-NCBI services and products are experiencing heavy traffic, which may affect performance and availability. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience. For assistance, please contact our Help Desk at info@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1983 Feb;39(2):755–761. doi: 10.1128/iai.39.2.755-761.1983

Response to Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccination in protein- and zinc-deficient guinea pigs.

D N McMurray, E A Yetley
PMCID: PMC348014  PMID: 6339390

Abstract

Groups of specific pathogen-free Hartley strain guinea pigs were vaccinated with viable Mycobacterium bovis BCG and maintained on isocaloric purified diets containing either 30 or 10% protein (ovalbumin) combined with either 50 ppm (microgram/g) or no added zinc. Seven weeks later the guinea pigs were skin tested with purified protein derivative and killed. Both protein and zinc deficiencies had a significant negative impact on growth of the guinea pigs. Both groups consuming the 10% protein diet also demonstrated significant reductions in hematocrit, total serum proteins, and serum albumin, as well as diminished spleen weight. Plasma zinc concentrations were reduced in both low-zinc groups to less than half the value observed in control guinea pigs. Protein deficiency, alone or combined with zinc deficiency, resulted in increased tissue levels of viable M. bovis BCG in the inguinal lymph nodes and subcutaneous vaccination nodule. These same groups exhibited significant impairment in the ability to mount a delayed hypersensitivity reaction. Phytohemagglutinin-driven polyclonal T cell blastogenesis in vitro was significantly diminished in the peripheral lymphocytes of both protein- and protein-zinc-deficient animals at low mitogen doses, but only in the protein-zinc-deficient guinea pigs as the dose of phytohemagglutinin was increased. These results suggest that dietary protein and zinc deficiencies, alone or combined, interfere with immunological responses of the host to vaccination with M. bovis BCG.

Full text

PDF
755

Selected References

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

  1. Alberts J. C., Lang J. A., Reyes P. S., Briggs G. M. Zinc requirement of the young guinea pig. J Nutr. 1977 Aug;107(8):1517–1527. doi: 10.1093/jn/107.8.1517. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Allen J. I., Kay N. E., McClain C. J. Severe zinc deficiency in humans: association with a reversible T-lymphocyte dysfunction. Ann Intern Med. 1981 Aug;95(2):154–157. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-95-2-154. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Beach R. S., Gershwin M. E., Hurley L. S. Altered thymic structure and mitogen responsiveness in postnatally zinc-deprived mice. Dev Comp Immunol. 1979 Fall;3(4):725–738. doi: 10.1016/s0145-305x(79)80065-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Beisel W. R., Edelman R., Nauss K., Suskind R. M. Single-nutrient effects on immunologic functions. Report of a workshop sponsored by the Department of Food and Nutrition and its nutrition advisory group of the American Medical Association. JAMA. 1981 Jan 2;245(1):53–58. doi: 10.1001/jama.245.1.53. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. 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]
  6. Bhuyan U. N., Ramalingaswami V. Systemic macrophage mobilization and granulomatous response to BCG in the protein-deficient rabbit. Am J Pathol. 1974 Aug;76(2):313–322. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Bogden J. D., Lintz D. I., Joselow M. M., Charles J., Salaki J. S. Effect of pulmonary tuberculosis on blood concentrations of copper and zinc. Am J Clin Pathol. 1977 Mar;67(3):251–256. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/67.3.251. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Chandra R. K., Au B. Single nutrient deficiency and cell-mediated immune responses. I. Zinc. Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 Apr;33(4):736–738. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/33.4.736. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Chesters J. K. The role of zinc ions in the transformation of lymphocytes by phytohaemagglutinin. Biochem J. 1972 Nov;130(1):133–139. doi: 10.1042/bj1300133. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. De Bruyn J., Weckx M., Beumer-Jochmans M. P. Effect of zinc deficiency on Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. bovis (BCG). J Gen Microbiol. 1981 Jun;124(2):353–357. doi: 10.1099/00221287-124-2-353. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Fraker P. J., Zwickl C. M., Luecke R. W. Delayed type hypersensitivity in zinc deficient adult mice: impairment and restoration of responsivity to dinitrofluorobenzene. J Nutr. 1982 Feb;112(2):309–313. doi: 10.1093/jn/112.2.309. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Golden M. H., Harland P. S., Golden B. E., Jackson A. A. Zinc and immunocompetence in protein-energy malnutrition. Lancet. 1978 Jun 10;1(8076):1226–1228. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)92463-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Golden M. H., Jackson A. A., Golden B. E. Effect of zinc on thymus of recently malnourished children. Lancet. 1977 Nov 19;2(8047):1057–1059. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(77)91888-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Good R. A., Fernandes G. Nutrition, immunity, and cancer-a review. Part I: Influence of protein or protein-calorie malnutrition and zinc deficiency on immunity. Clin Bull. 1979;9(1):3–12. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Gross R. L., Osdin N., Fong L., Newberne P. M. I. Depressed immunological function in zinc-deprived rats as measured by mitogen response of spleen, thymus, and peripheral blood. Am J Clin Nutr. 1979 Jun;32(6):1260–1266. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/32.6.1260. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Karl L., Chvapil M., Zukoski C. F. Effect of zinc on the viability and phagocytic capacity of peritoneal macrophages. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1973 Apr;142(4):1123–1127. doi: 10.3181/00379727-142-37190. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. 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]
  18. McBean L. D., Smith J. C., Jr, Halsted J. A. Zinc deficiency in guinea pigs. 1. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1972 Sep;140(4):1207–1209. doi: 10.3181/00379727-140-36642. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. McMurray D. N., Yetley E. A. Cell-mediated immunity in malnourished guinea pigs after Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccination. Infect Immun. 1982 Mar;35(3):909–914. doi: 10.1128/iai.35.3.909-914.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Oleske J. M., Westphal M. L., Shore S., Gorden D., Bogden J. D., Nahmias A. Zinc therapy of depressed cellular immunity in acrodermatitis enteropathica. Its correction. Am J Dis Child. 1979 Sep;133(9):915–918. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1979.02130090043007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Pekarek R. S., Sandstead H. H., Jacob R. A., Barcome D. F. Abnormal cellular immune responses during acquired zinc deficiency. Am J Clin Nutr. 1979 Jul;32(7):1466–1471. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/32.7.1466. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Roth H. P., Kirchgessner M. Zn metalloenzyme activities. Changes and biochemical aspects in Zn deficiency. World Rev Nutr Diet. 1980;34:144–160. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Schloen L. H., Fernandes G., Garofalo J. A., Good R. A. Nutrition, immunity and cancer--a review. Part II: zinc, immune function and cancer. Clin Bull. 1979;9(2):63–75. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Scrimshaw N. S., Taylor C. E., Gordon J. E. Interactions of nutrition and infection. Monogr Ser World Health Organ. 1968;57:3–329. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Sinha D. P., Bang F. B. Protein and calorie malnutrition, cell-mediated immunity, and B.C.G. vaccination in children from rural West Bengal. Lancet. 1976 Sep 11;2(7985):531–534. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(76)91791-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Ziegler H. D., Ziegler P. B. Depression of tuberculin reaction in mild and moderate protein-calorie malnourished children following BCG vaccination. Johns Hopkins Med J. 1975 Aug;137(2):59–64. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES