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Effect of ß-Carotene and Canthaxanthin on the Immune Responses of the Rat¹

Hoffmann-LaRoche Inc., Nutley, NJ 07110

Male Wistar Kyoto rats were fed diets containing either 2 g/kg (0.2%) ß-carotene, canthaxanthin or basal diet for up to 66 wk. Plasma and tissues were analyzed for vitamin A, vitamin E, ß-carotene or canthaxanthin levels. In vitro immune responses of splenocytes to T- and B-lymphocyte mitogens were determined. T- and B-lymphocyte responses were consistently enhanced in the groups fed ß-carotene or canthaxanthin. Since canthaxanthin cannot be converted to vitamin A, the immunoenhancement seen in these experiments is attributed to a carotenoid effect.

KEY WORDS: • ß-carotene • canthaxanthin • immune responses

¹ Two preliminary reports of these data were presented at the 1984 and 1985 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology meetings in St. Louis, MO, and Anaheim, CA. Bendich, A. & Shapiro, S. S. (1984) Effect of dietary ß-carotene on lymphocyte responses to mitogens. Fed. Proc. 43, 787 (abs. 2936); Shapiro, S. S. & Bendich, A. (1985) Effect of dietary carotenoids on lymphocyte responses to mitogens. Fed. Proc. 44, 544 (abs. 775).

² To whom reprint requests should be addressed.

Manuscript received 20 March 1986. Revision accepted 16 June 1986.

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