Immune response to Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi infection is reduced in malnourished BALB/c mice

Protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies may down-regulate immune response and increase morbidity and mortality due to infection. In this study, a murine model was used to study the effects of protein, iron and zinc deficiencies on the immune response to Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi infection. Mice were initially fed a standard diet or with a diet containing 3 percent casein but deficient in zinc and iron. After malnutrition was established, mice were inoculated with L. chagasiand sacrificed four weeks later in order to evaluate liver and spleen parasite loads and serum biochemical parameters. Significant decreases in liver and spleen weight, an increase in the parasite loads in these organs and decreases in serum protein and glucose concentrations in malnourished animals were observed. Furthermore, the production of interferon-gamma by spleen cells from infected malnourished mice stimulated by Leishmaniaantigen was significantly lower compared with that in control diet mice. These data suggest that malnutrition alters the immune response to L. chagasiinfection in the BALB/c model and, in association with the effects on biochemical and anatomical parameters of the host, favored increases in the parasite loads in the spleens and livers of these animals.

[Effect of serum zinc levels on humoral immune response to hepatitis b vaccination in patients on dialysis]

Zinc deficiency causes abnormalities in immune response. In chronic hemodialysis [I-ID] and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis [CAPD] patients, impaired immune responses to vaccination have been reported. Therefore, we performed a study to determine the correlation between serum zinc levels and immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in patients on dialysis. A cross-sectional study including 95 CRF patients on dialysis [70 HD and 25 CAPD], [63 male and 32 female] with three dose regimens of vaccination against HBV was performed. Four months after vaccination, there were 34 [36%] patients with sufficient HBs Antibody response [HBs Ab >/= 10 MU/mL] and 61[64%] patients with insufficient HBs antibody response[HBs Ab< 10mU/mL]. The mean serum zinc level was 23.35 +/- 3.87 micmol/L [13.20-33 micmol/L]. The mean serum zinc concentration was significantly higher in patients with sufficient HBs antibody level than patients with insufficient HBs antibody levels [24.94 +/- 4.17 versus 22.15 +/- 3.46, P= 0.005]. In logistic regression analysis, independent variables that correlated with sufficient HBs Ab level >/= 10 MU/mL included higher mean serum zinc level [OR=1.44 [1.02-2.02], P=0.006] and female gender [OR=1.8 [1.01-4.01], P=0.048]. Factors found to be insignificant included type of dialysis, age, diabetes mellitus as a cause of ESRD, serum creatinine and albumin levels. We conclude that failure to respond to HBV vaccination is significantly related to a low levels of serum zinc. However, clinical trial studies should be performed in order to confirm this finding

Variaciones en las respuestas inmune y estado de nutrición en un grupo de embarazadas sanas / Immune response and nutrition status variations in healthy pregnant women

Se realizó un estudio de caracter transversal con el objeto de identificar la prevalencia de deficiencias nutricias específicas (hierro, zinc y vitamina A) y su asociación con la respuesta inmune tanto humoral como celular en un grupo de gestantes urbanas aparentemente sanas. Se estudiaron 29, 25 y 27 gestantes del primero, segundo y tercer trimestre de la gestación respectivamente. A todas ellas se les solicitó su consentimiento informado. Los resultados encontrados permiten concluir que las deficiencias de zinc y vitamina A no reprecentan un problema de salud en esta población, mientras que la deficiencia de hierro si es una deficiente frecuente. Por lo que toca a la respuesta inmune, ésta se encontró dentro de los límites normales

Maduracion Linfocitaria in vitro con zinc / Lymphocytic maturation in vitro with Zinc

Con el fin de encontrar una mejor respuesta en la maduracion de las subpobllaciones linfocitarias timo dependientes inmaduras, clase diferencial la. (CDla) mediante la utilizacion de zinc, se compararon invitro 3 grupos, (cada uno de 23 muestras sanguineas) de ninos con diagnostico de malnutricion proteico calorico severa: Grupo 1 sin zinc (T6(-)), Grupo 2 Con hormona timica (T6(FTS)) y el Grupo 3 Con zinc (T6(Asp-zn), T6(Glu-zn) y T6(Q-zn)), encontrandose una respuesta marcadamente positiva de maduracion de linfocitos timodependeintes, con los 3 compuestos de zinc. Este hallazgo nos permite ensayar la utilizacion de dichos compuestos en la rehabilitacion de ninos malnutridos graves.

Immunological effects of amino acid deficiency and zinc overloading in rats

The dual effect of amino acid deficiency and zinc hypersupplementation upon both cell mediated and humoral immune responses was studied in male albino Sprague Dawely rats. Results indicated that phytohaemagglutinin [PHA] and poke weed mitogenic response [PWM], in rats fed deficient amino acid [a.a.] and normal zinc [Zn] diet, was significantly decreased. However, upon Zn supplementation, no significant change could be observed in either PHA or PWM. On the other hand, haemagglutinin as well as plaque forming cells [PFC] were diminished in rats fed deficient a.a. and normal Zn. Hyperapplication of Zn in the diet provided a marked decrease in PFC but had no effect upon haemagglutinin. The prominent outcome of this study is that the immune response whether cell-mediated or humoral does not appear to be substantially influenced by dietary amino acid type but by its deficiency in the diet. It can also be concluded that Zn alone has failed in treating the impairment of humoral immune response, caused by amino acid deficiency; and that Zn and amino acids play an important role in the alteration of the immune response due to heir interindependent relationship

Deficiencia de zinc e inmunidad celular

Por recomendación del comité de nutrición de las Naciones Unidas, evaluamos en niños desnutridos, el impacto que sobre la inmunidad celular, incidencia de infecciones respiratorias y el crecimiento físico, tiene la suplementación oral diaria de 10 mg de sulfato de zinc. Un estudio experimental aleatorio, doble ciego, comparó el afecto de la administración de zinc vs placebo, en un grupo de 50 niños desnutridos con edades comprendidas entre 12 y 59 meses, con una media de 37 m. El estudio duró 120 días divididos en dos períodos, de suplementación (0 a 60 días) y de postsuplementación de (61 s 120 días). en los días 0, 60 y 120 se registraron: peso, talla, dosificación se zinc zérico y respuesta cutánea al MULTITEST CMI, variables que se analizaron, con sililares condiciones socioeconómicas y medioambientales, intervinieron como control 33 niños eutróficos, clinicamentes se observó a cada niño en busca se signos y síntomas respiratorios. Tanto instrumentos como técnicas cumplieron con las recomendaciones internacionales y aval del INEN. Aceptamos como límite de significación una p <0.05 para cada variable estudiada, sometida a la prueba t de student la incidencia (porcentaje) de los signos y síntomas respiratorios se examinaron con la prueba del Ch12. El grupo de eutróficos respondió mejor al multitet (p <0.05). No fue significativa la incidencia de niños con niveles bajos de zinc sérico (consideramos zinc sérico bajó a un valor <= 75 ug/dl, que correspondía a -1DE de la media de los eutróficos)...