title: Vitamin A supplementation leads to increases in regulatory CD4+Foxp3+LAP+ T cells in mice.
abstract: Dietary compounds, including micronutrients such as vitamin A and its metabolite retinoic acid, directly influence the development and function of the immune system. In this study, we show that either dietary deficiency of or supplementation with vitamin A had immunologic effects in mice that were fed these diets during their development (for 8 wk during the postweaning period). Deficient mice presented higher levels of interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-6, transforming growth factor-β, IL-17, and IL-10 in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues and draining lymph nodes, indicating a proinflammatory shift in the gut mucosa. Serum immunoglobulin G levels also were elevated in these mice. Conversely, supplemented mice showed higher frequencies of CD4+Foxp3+LAP+ regulatory T cells in gut lymphoid tissues and spleen, suggesting that vitamin A supplementation in the diet may be beneficial in pathologic situations such as inflammatory bowel diseases.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Samara R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pinheiro-Rosa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flavia G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Loli
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alline G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrezza F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Santiago
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ester C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Pinter
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jamil S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Denise C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cara
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrição, Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiani U
authors.initials: TU
authors.lastname: Maioli
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Electronic address: afaria@icb.ufmg.br.
authors.forename: Ana Maria C
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Faria
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; C556062:IL10 protein, mouse; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D020381:Interleukin-17; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014815:Vitamins; C577686:interleukin-6, mouse; D014801:Vitamin A; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: Regulatory T cells; Retinoic acid; TGF-β; Vitamin A