title: Influence of aging, environmental antigens, and dietary restriction on expression of lymphocyte subsets in germ-free and conventional Lobund-Wistar rats.
abstract: Lymphocyte subsets from four groups of Lobund-Wistar (L-W) rats were quantitated to determine the influence of diet restriction (DR) and exposure to environmental antigens on the development of these cells. The following effects were found from 6 to 30 months of age: The number of Ts/c and Ts cells were higher in germ-free (GF) vs conventional (CV) rats, whereas B-cell numbers were lower. W3/13 T cells, Ts, and NK cell numbers were higher in DR vs full-fed rats, whereas B-cell numbers were lower. OX19 and W3/13 T cell numbers decreased from 6 months to 30 months in each group, whereas NK cell numbers increased. Also, OX6+ B cell numbers increased with age, and Ts/c numbers decreased. These data may reflect a relationship between enhanced T-cell function and the extended life span and lower tumor incidence observed in DR L-W rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical School.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gilman-Sachs
authors.forename: Y B
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pollard
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Snyder
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets; D002149:Energy Intake; D005856:Germ-Free Life / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens