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Impaired Immunity in Vitamin A-Deficient Mice¹

Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705

Vitamin A deficiency was produced in mice and was used to investigate the role of vitamin A in immune function. Cellular immunity, as measured by delayed-type hypersensitivity, diminished in early deficiency before weight and appetite changes occurred and declined further as the deficiency progressed. Humoral immunity, as measured by serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) responses to a protein antigen (hemocyanin), also declined. The kinetics of antibody production were unaffected by the deficiency. The T-cell number remained unchanged, but B-cell and macrophage numbers were increased in vitamin A–deficient mice. Surface expression of membrane glycoproteins (Thy-1, Lyt-1, Lyt-2, L3T4, IgM, Mac-1) was unchanged by the deficiency, as were lymphocyte numbers and distribution. The results suggest that vitamin A deficiency is associated with a functional immune system defect.

KEY WORDS: • vitamin A deficiency • humoral immunity • cellular immunity

¹ We are grateful for financial support from American Cancer Society Grant IN-35V-26 and the HATCH program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Grant 2738.

² Current address: Department of Biochemistry, School of Hygiene and Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205.

Manuscript received 10 June 1986. Revision accepted 12 January 1987.

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