Protein malnutrition: effect on rat peritoneal mast cell number, histamine content, and IgE receptors.
To examine the effects of protein malnutrition on mast cells, rats were fed a protein-deficient diet (0.5% protein ad libitum) or normal diet (27% protein ad libitum or pair fed) for 16, 21, 27, or 57 d. Male rats in the different groups showed no significant differences in mast cell number or histamine content per mast cell. IgE binding sites as measured by flow cytometry were decreased in rats on the deficient diet. Even after stripping receptors of endogenous IgE and then labeling with fluorescent IgE, the difference remained, thus confirming the lower number of mast cell IgE receptors in rats maintained on the protein-deficient diet.
Rickard
A L
AL
Department of Pathology, St Louis University School of Medicine, MO 63104.
Lagunoff
D
D
D000818:Animals; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism*; D002452:Cell Count; D006632:Histamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000473:pathology; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000378:metabolism*; D017455:Receptors, IgE
D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D006632:Histamine