Magnesium-deficient diet aggravates anaphylactic shock and promotes cardiac myolysis in guinea pigs.
Actively sensitized guinea pigs were rendered Mg(2+)-deficient for 2-3 weeks and then subjected to immune stress. No differences could be seen between treated and control groups prior to immune challenge. 1-2 h after antigen challenge, 95% of the Mg(2+)-deficient animals were observed to be anaphylactic, i.e. apathetic, dyspneic, and they had a rapid pulse rate. Only 4% of the control animals showed signs of anaphylaxis. Serum magnesium concentration, [Mg2+], fell from 1.32 +/- 0.07 mM in control guinea pigs to 0.56 +/- 0.04 mM in those fed an Mg(2+)-deficient diet. Cardiomyolysis (CM) developed in 19% of the anaphylactic animals and in 3% of the controls. We conclude that Mg(2+)-deficient animals continue to function, provided conditions are normal, but they are unable to withstand stress. The heart, however, appears to be better equipped to defend itself against Mg2+ deficiency and low serum [Mg2+], a supposition supported by the fact that heart [Mg2+] is not significantly reduced in hypomagnesemic guinea pigs (0.864 +/- 0.021 microgram/mg dry weight in control, and 0.834 +/- 0.062 microgram/mg dry weight in magnesium-deficient animals). The data indicate that hypomagnesemia heightens the intensity of the immune response, thereby exacerbating both anaphylactic shock (AS) and CM. A normal serum [Mg2+] would thus seem essential for protection against immune stress.
Ashkenazy
Y
Y
Department of Internal Medicine, Wolfson Hospital, Holon, Israel.
Moshonov
S
S
Fischer
G
G
Feigel
D
D
Caspi
A
A
Kusniec
F
F
Sela
B A
BA
Zor
U
U
D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D008275:Magnesium Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male
D008274:Magnesium