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Dietary Stress and Development of Resistance to Listeria monocytogenes in Mice¹

Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907

The native and acquired cell-mediated immune resistance against Listeria monocytogenes steadily developed in young mice after weaning and reached maximum activity at 6 and 12 weeks of age, respectively. Mice fed a high fat (20% corn oil) diet from 3 weeks of age had a significantly more rapid development of resistance against L. monocytogenes. Mice fed the high fat diet beginning at 6 and 12 weeks of age had significantly lower native preimmune resistance against L. monocytogenes after 3 weeks on the diet. On the other hand, 3-week-old mice fed a low protein (4% casein) diet had a significantly retarded development of native and acquired resistance against L. monocytogenes. However, mice consuming the low protein diet at 6, 12 or 24 weeks of age did not exhibit an impairment in this resistance. Therefore age at which the dietary stress, either low protein or high fat, was initiated had an important effect on native and acquired resistance of mice against L. monocytogenes.

KEY WORDS: • cell-mediated immunity • age • high dietary fat • low dietary protein

¹ Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station paper #8605.

Manuscript received 8 March 1982.