The role of corticosterone in the loss in immune function in the zinc-deficient A/J mouse.
Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that zinc deficiency causes rapid atrophy of the thymus with subsequent loss of T-cell helper function in the young adult A/J mouse. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if zinc deficiency constituted a chronic stress on the mouse leading to the elevation of glucocorticoid levels which is known to destroy thymic lymphocytes. The results of these experiments indicate that zinc-deficient mice indeed have increased levels of plasma corticosterone (115 mug/100 ml plasma) compared to mice fed zinc-adequate diets (40 mug/100 ml plasma). A significant reduction in T-cell helper function, which occurred 4 days after this rise in steroid concentration, suggests that corticosterone may contribute to the loss in immunity; however, about half of the total loss in T-cell helper function occurred prior to the increase in plasma corticosterone and was due to other factors associated with the lowered zinc levels.
D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency*
D015032:Zinc; D003345:Corticosterone