title: Enhancement of the in vitro antibody response in dietary protein restriction. Failure in the regulation of antibody synthesis.
abstract: We have studied the antibody response in vitro of spleen cells from C57BL/6 mice kept on a protein deficient (D) or a normal diet (N). Short or long term protein restriction initiated after weaning led to increased plaque forming cell (PFC) responses to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), TNP-ficoll and TNP lipopolysaccharide. The influence of dietary restriction on the suppression of the antibody response to SRBC was studied in mixed cultures of antigen sensitized and fresh, non-immune cells from either D or N donors. Addition of pre-sensitized D or N cells to non-immune N spleen cells in a 1:1000 ratio resulted in marked suppression of the PFC response whereas co-cultures of pre-sensitized cells and non-immune D spleen cells did not result in significant suppression. Similarly, non-immune T cells from DF mice exerted a lower suppressor effect than non-immune T cells from N mice. Either dietary restriction or low dose cyclophosphamide treatment of the donors of non-immune spleen cells determined a similar reduction in suppression. It is suggested that nutritional deficiency selectively depletes short-lived suppressor effector lymphocytes which are activated in the presence of antigen-stimulated inducer cells.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D014301:Trinitrobenzenes; D003520:Cyclophosphamide