title: Oral tolerance in protein-deprived mice. I. Profound antibody tolerance but impaired DTH tolerance after antigen feeding.
abstract: We have examined the effects of protein deprivation on the induction of oral tolerance for systemic antibody and DTH responses to the protein antigen ovalbumin (OVA). Mice were fed 4% or 24% protein diets from weaning and given a single feed of OVA 2 weeks later (short-term deprivation) or after 10 weeks (long-term deprivation). Tolerance for serum antibody responses was more profound in protein-deprived animals than in 24% protein-fed control groups. Conversely, tolerance for DTH responses was impaired in protein-deprived mice. This was demonstrated both for short-term deprivation, where nutritional rehabilitation after OVA feeding was necessary to demonstrate this effect on DTH, and for long-term deprivation. Furthermore, the effect of short-term deprivation on tolerance for DTH responses was similar to that observed after cyclophosphamide pretreatment of OVA-fed mice. Protein deprivation has disparate effects on the humoral and cell-mediated limbs of oral tolerance, and our results support the hypothesis that this regime selectively depletes a population of suppressor T cells responsible for the fine control of DTH tolerance.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D010047:Ovalbumin