title: Depletion of cells of the B lineage in the bone marrow of zinc-deficient mice.
abstract: Though lymphopenia is often noted in malnourished humans and rodents, little is known about the effects of suboptimal nutriture on lymphopoietic processes. Focusing primarily on cells of the B lineage in the marrow of young adult mice, a moderate degree of zinc deficiency (MZD) caused a 43% decline in the proportion of nucleated cells bearing B220 with a 91% decline noted among more severely zinc deficient mice (SZD). Early B cells (B220+Ig-) were highly sensitive to the deficiency, being barely detectable in SZD mice and reduced by almost 60% in MZD mice. Immature B cells (B220+IgM+IgD-) were similarly affected, declining 35% to 80% depending on the degree of the deficiency. In MZD mice, mature B cells (IgM+IgD+) exhibited moderate losses, being somewhat resistant. A more profound loss in this population was noted for SZD mice. Flow cytometric (FACS) scatter profiles indicated that zinc deficiency caused a sharp decline in the proportion of small nucleated cells which in the marrow are thought to contain a high proportion of developing lymphoid cells. There was a concomitant increase in large granular cells that paralleled a substantial increase in the proportion of nucleated cells bearing Mac-1 for both MZD and SZD mice. Given the dramatic depletion of cells of the B lineage in the marrow created by a deficiency in zinc, it is probable that disruptions in lymphopoietic processes in the marrow play a key role in the resulting lymphopenia observed in many types of malnutrition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1319, USA.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Osati-Ashtiani
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Fraker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001835:Body Weight; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008027:Light; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008805:Mice, Inbred A; D009929:Organ Size; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc