Study of some immune responses in postnatally, malnourished rats

Post weaning rats were fed protein deficient diet for about 6 weeks until their body weight/brain weight ratio started to decrease. Effect of such malnutrition on the plaque forming response of antibody producing spleen cells against three bacterial antigens, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella paratyphii and Staphylococcus aureus were studied. Mitogen stimulation of spleen cells was also studied using phytohemagglutinin and 3[H]-thymidine. Antibody plaque forming cell number and spleen cell stimulation response to phytohemagglutinin decreased significantly [P<001] in the malnourished rats as compared to the controls

Effect of vitamin A supplementation on the serum levels of some immunoglobulins in vitamin A deficiency children

Effect of vitamin A deficiency and of subsequent vitamin A supplementation on the serum levels of immunoglobulins, IgG, IgA, and IgM were studied in children with severe to moderate vitamin A, deficiency. Decreased levels of IgG [P < 0.001], IgA [P < 0.01] and increased levels of serum IgM [P < 0.01] were found in vitamin A deficient children, compared to normal On supplementation of 100,000-200,000 i.u. of vitamin A. during a period of 2 weeks, serum lgG, IgA and IgM levels in the vitamin A deficient children increased by 49.4 +/- 7.2%, 14.2 + 7.7%, and 8.1 + 2.3% respectively with an increase in the serum vitamin A levels by 47.6 + 10.6 per cent. The result have been discussed on the possible interations of vitamin A, deficiency and immunity