Vitamin C and the immune response.
The inclusion of vitamin C in the drinking water of BALB/c mice was without effect on the humoral antibody response to sheep red blood cells and bacterial lipopolysaccharide. However, there was a significantly increased cell-mediated immune response as determined by increased T-lymphocyte responses to concanavalin A. This might suggest a mechanism, along with interferon enhancement, for the possible protection by vitamin C against some viral infections.
D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003208:Concanavalin A; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D003208:Concanavalin A; D001205:Ascorbic Acid