title: Serum thymic factor activity in deficiencies of calories, zinc, vitamin A and pyridoxine.
abstract: Cell-mediated immunity is invariably impaired in protein-energy malnutrition. The effect of selected nutrient deficiencies on serum thymic factor activity was assessed in deprived rats and pair-fed controls. Deficits of calories, zinc or pyridoxine resulted in significant lowering of serum thymic factor activity whereas vitamin A deficiency did not have any effect. It is suggested that variants nutrients modulate different steps of cell-mediated immunity and that reduced thymic hormone activity may be the underlying mechanism of imparied immunity in some but not all nutritional deficiencies.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D002149:Energy Intake; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating / Q000032:analysis*; D013951:Thymus Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood*; D026681:Vitamin B 6 Deficiency / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D013951:Thymus Hormones; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating; D015032:Zinc