Immune depression induced by protein calorie malnutrition can be suppressed by lesioning central noradrenaline systems.
Depressed immune function is well documented in protein calorie malnutrition (PCM). Also, central noradrenergic hyperactivity has recently been reported in malnourished animals. Increase in central noradrenaline activity could be responsible for cell-mediated immune depression. The present study is designed to address this hypothesis by testing whether neurotoxic lesion of central noradrenergic systems by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) could improve lymphoproliferative response to mitogens and interleukin (IL)-1 production in PCM rats. A significant enhancement of lymphoproliferative response to concanavalin A (ConA) and in IL-1 production was observed in spleen mononuclear cells of PCM rats injected intracerebroventricularly with 120 micrograms of 6-OHDA, as compared with solvent injected and untreated PCM animals. A significant decrease in brain noradrenaline levels was produced in the drug-injected animals. These results suggest that central noradrenergic hyperactivity is one of the mechanisms involved in the immunodepression produced by malnutrition.
Schlesinger
L
L
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Santiago.
Arevalo
M
M
Simon
V
V
Lopez
M
M
Muñoz
C
C
Hernandez
A
A
Carreño
P
P
Belmar
J
J
White
A
A
Häffner-Cavaillon
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000737:chemistry; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology*; D016627:Oxidopamine; D011247:Pregnancy; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology
D007375:Interleukin-1; D016627:Oxidopamine; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine