title: [Effects of vitamin A on the immune function of intestinal mucosa lymphocytes in mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of vitamin A on the development of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood and small intestine and on the cytokine response of intestinal mucosa in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty young mice were randomly fed with forage containing vitamin A 250 or 4 IU/g (n=10 each). Three weeks later, the levels of CD4+ CD25+ T subsets in peripheral blood and intestinal mucosa were measured by flow cytometry. The levels of cytokines IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-17 and IL-23 in stool were measured using ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of CD4+ CD25+ T subsets in peripheral blood and intestinal mucosa in the 250 IU/g vitamin A group were significantly higher than those in the 4 IU/g vitamin A group (P<0.05). The IL-4 level in stool increased, in contrast, the IL-23 level in stool decreased significantly in the 250 IU/g vitamin A group when compared with the 4 IU/g vitamin A group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  vitamin A may promote the development of CD4+ CD25+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood and small intestine. Moreover, it may be involved in intestinal mucosa-associated immune response by regulating cytokines IL-4 and IL-23.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China. Email:13901730330@139.com.
authors.forename: Ling-Yun
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Li-Rong
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D016207:Cytokines; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa; D051379:Mice; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; D014801:Vitamin A
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D014801:Vitamin A; D015847:Interleukin-4