Nucleotide-free diet impairs T-helper cell functions in antibody production in response to T-dependent antigens in normal C57B1/6 mice.
We have previously shown that polynucleotides enhance in vitro antibody production in response to T-dependent antigens. This study examines the importance of dietary nucleotides on in vivo antibody production in response to antigen stimuli. C57Bl/6 mice fed a nucleotide-free diet for more than 3 wk demonstrated significantly lower antibody production to T-dependent antigens both in vivo and in vitro compared with control mice fed a nonpurified diet. Numbers of immunoglobulin M and G secreting cells in the spleen were also lower in mice fed a nucleotide-free diet after the challenge of T-dependent antigens compared to the controls. Responses to T-independent antigens remained intact in mice fed a nucleotide-free diet. T-helper cells from mice fed a nucleotide-free diet were less capable of inducing T-dependent antibody production in vitro compared with those from mice fed a nonpurified diet. Intraperitoneal injection of a mononucleotide-nucleoside mixture restored T-helper cell functions and T-dependent antibody production in mice fed a nucleotide-free diet. These results may indicate the importance of dietary nucleotides in maintaining optimal T-helper cell functions for humoral immune responses in response to T-dependent antigens.
Jyonouchi
H
H
Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
Zhang-Shanbhag
L
L
Tomita
Y
Y
Yokoyama
H
H
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D009711:Nucleotides