title: The influence of vitamin B12 supplementation on the level of white blood cells and lymphocytes phenotype in rats fed a low-protein diet.
abstract: Protein malnutrition has a negative effect on body composition and some blood parameters, especially in the young growing organism. One of nutritional factors which could protect against negative consequences of protein deficiency may be B group vitamins. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of vitamin B12 supplementation on the immune system in rats fed a standard and a low-protein diet. Rats were fed a control (20% of energy from protein) or a protein-deficient diet (4.5% of energy from protein). Half of animals in each group were additionally supplemented with vitamin B12 (300% of the daily intake). The white blood cells analysis and lymphocytes immunophenotyping (number and percentage) were performed. Low-protein diets caused disturbances in WBC and lymphocyte subpopulations in both short- (30-day) as well as long-term periods (90-day). Vitamin B12 supplementation significantly reduced the negative impact of protein malnutrition after 30 days, however had no effect on long-term malnutrition. Furthermore, vitamin B12 addition in rats fed a control diet did not affect the studied parameters. This observation opens the promise of use of vitamin B12 supplementation to improve immune system parameters in protein malnourished organisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lewicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Physiology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lewicka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Nephrology and Allergology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Bolesław
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kalicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Physiology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kłos
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Physiology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bertrandt
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zdanowski
keywords: B12 supplementation; immune system; protein deficiency; rats