title: Natural killer activity in the experimental privational rickets.
abstract: To study the 'in vivo' importance of vitamin D on the natural killer (NK) activity, rats were submitted to privational rickets induced by a diet deficient in vitamin D and phosphorus (D-P-). Thirty days after the beginning of treatment the animals showed low body weight, changes in the bone development, and decreased levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25-OH D(3)). NK activity, evaluated using a cytotoxicity assay against 51Cr-labeled Yac.1 target cells, was not modified by the rickets-inducing treatment during the first 30 days. Following a long-term treatment (60 days) the rachitic rats (D-P-) exhibited higher NK activity than control animals (D+P+) (P<0.05). On the other hand, D-P+ animals showed higher cytotoxic activity than D-P- and D+P+ groups. Feed replacement to the rachitic rats by a complete diet (D-P-/D+P+) led to a partial recuperation of growth, bone development, and 25-OH D(3) serum levels. The NK activity was also influenced by vitamin D intake, decreasing after treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Distrito de Rubião Jr s/n, Caixa Postal 510, cep 18618-000, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. kaneno@ibb.unesp.br
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaneno
authors.forename: Alberto J S
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Aurélio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001846:Bone Development; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000494:pharmacology; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D004032:Diet; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012279:Rickets / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D002762:Cholecalciferol; D010758:Phosphorus; D002112:Calcifediol