title: Lymphocyte subpopulations in the thymus, lymph nodes and spleen of iron-deficient and rehabilitated mice.
abstract: Three groups of weanling female mice were fed one of two iron-deficient diets (5 and 12 mg Fe/kg diet) or a normal diet (30 mg Fe/kg diet) for 6 wk. A control pair-fed group was included. Seven mice received the 5 mg Fe/kg diet for 6 wk, then were rehabilitated using the 30 mg Fe/kg diet for 10 d. Mice fed the 5 mg Fe/kg diet were moderately iron-deficient, as shown by indices of iron status. No significant differences were observed in thymus weight or in the proportion and number of thymocyte subsets in thymuses of anemic, moderately iron-deficient and control mice. Thymus weight was decreased in pair-fed mice. No significant difference was found in lymph node subsets. In the spleen of anemic mice, the proportions and total number of Thy-1+ splenocytes, CD4-8+ and CD4+8- cells were very low compared with control (P less than 0.01) and iron-deficient (P less than 0.02) mice. The decrease was not only observed for the percentage of subsets but also for the absolute number of cell subtypes per spleen. Thy-1+ splenocyte subpopulations were normalized after rehabilitation. These quantitative modifications could explain alterations in the blastogenic response of splenic lymphocytes described by other authors.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche sur les Anémies Nutritionnelles, Institut Scientifique et Technique de l'Alimentation (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers), Paris, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dhur
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Preziosi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hercberg
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D007501:Iron