Protein-calorie malnutrition: decrease in the peritonial macrophage's respiratory burst

ABSTRACT

Protein malnutrition and disease are frequently associated. It modifies both the organism's specific and non-specific immune response to infectious agents. However, the exact mechanisms underlying these findings have not yet been clearly elucidated. In this study, we examined the respiratoy burst capacity in resident and activated peritoneal macrophages obtained from adult male mice who were fed either a control (20 porcent protein) or a low-protein (4 porcent protein) diet. The activated macrophages were obtained after an intra-peritoneal administration of sodium caseinate. Through chemiluminescence assays using either luminol or lucigenin, the kinetics and production...