Malnutrition and humoral immunity: short-term acute nutritional deprivation.
The effects of short-term acute nutritional deprivation and refeeding on immune function was investigated in rats. Animals previously sensitized to keyhole-limpet hemocyanin were starved for 72 hours and refed for 7 days. Recall skin testing with keyhole-limpet hemocyanin and immunization with tetanus toxoid (TT) were used to assess delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and humoral immune responses. DTH was maximally depressed late, after refeeding had begun. Anti-TT responses were depressed early during starvation. Neither DTH nor anti-TT responses had returned to normal after a period of refeeding sufficient to restore weight. The data indicate that short-term acute nutritional deprivation may contribute to acquired immunodeficiency in patients undergoing surgery.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001835:Body Weight; D005502:Food; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012882:Skin Tests; D013217:Starvation; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid