Table 3.

White blood cells (number and percentage) in blood of rats fed for 30 days a control (20% of energy from protein) or protein-deficient diet (4.5% of energy from protein) supplemented or not with 300% of the daily intake of vitamin B₁₂. White blood cells numbers were measured in hematological analyzer (MEK-6450, Nihon Kohden) and lymphocytes immunophenotyping were performed by flow cytometry (FACS Calibur, BD). Results are shown as mean ± SEM. Significance (p < 0.05)

	20% of protein n = 10 (control group)	20% of protein + + vitamin B12 n = 10	4.5% of protein n = 10	4.5% of protein + + vitamin B12 n = 10
Monocytes (× 103/µl)	0.51 ±0.07	0.4 ±0.06	0.29 ±0.04a	0.55 ±0.08b
Monocytes (%)	5.0 ±0.8	4.1 ±0.4	3.9 ±0.4	4.5 ±0.4
Neutrophils (× 103/µl)	0.9 ±0.1	0.9 ±0.1	1.3 ±0.1a	1.80.3a
Neutrophils (%)	8.5 ±0.9	9.8 ±1.0	19 ±1.5a	14.7 ±1.2a
Eosinophils (× 103/µl)	0.13 ±0.01	0.14 ±0.01	0.06 ±0.01a	0.10 ±0.01a
Eosinophils (%)	1.3 ±0.2	1.4 ±0.1	0.9 ±0.1a	0.8 ±0.1a
Lymphocytes (× 103/µl)	8.9 ±0.6	8.6 ±0.6	5.43 ±0.6a	9.4 ±0.8b
Lymphocytes (%)	85.2 ±1.5	84.6 ±1.3	76.2 ±1.6a	80.0 ±1.3
(B cells) CD45a+ (× 103/µl)	2.4 ±0.2	2.3 ±0.2	1.0 ±0.1a	2.2 ±0.2b
(B cells) CD45a+ (%)	26.8 ±1.3	26.6 ±0.8	18.3 ±1.1a	23.6 ±1.2b
(T cells) CD3+ (× 103/µl)	5.3 ±0.5	4.9 ±0.5	3.7 ±0.4a	5.9 ±0.5
(T cells) CD3+ (%)	58.7 ±1.9	56.2 ±2.1	67.8 ±1.2a	62.2 ±1.7
CD4+ (× 103/µl)	3.7 ±0.3	3.4 ±0.4	2.7 ±0.2a	4.3 ±0.3b
CD4+ (%)	41.2 ±0.2	39.4 ±2.0	49.6 ±1.3a	45.4 ±1.1
CD8+ (× 103/µl)	1.9 ±0.2	1.6 ±0.2	1.1 ±0.1a	1.7 ±0.2b
CD8+ (%)	20.5 ±1.0	18.4 ±1.0	19.4 ±0.7	18.3 ±0.7
CD4/CD8 ratio	2.0 ±0.1	2.1 ±0.1	2.6 ±0.1a	2.5 ±0.1a
NK cells (CD161 + ) (× 103/µl)	0.37 ±0.05	0.33 ±0.04	0.25 ±0.04a	0.37 ±0.04b
NK cells (CD161 + ) (%)	4.3 ±0.5	4.0 ±0.6	4.9 ±0.6	4.0 ±0.3
NKT cells (CD161+, CD3 + ) (× 103/µl)	0.13 ±0.01	0.13 ±0.01	0.07 ±0.01a	0.12 ±0.01b
NKT cells (CD161+, CD3 + ) (%)	1.4 ±0.1	1.5 ±0.1	1.3 ±0.1	1.2 ±0.1

^aComparison to the control group

^bComparison to 4.5% of protein group