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Dietary Energy Restriction Decreases Ex Vivo Spleen Prostaglandin E₂ Synthesis in Emory Mice¹

U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111

Dietary energy restriction prolongs lifespan and enhances immune responsiveness by mechanisms yet to be elucidated. Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) has a suppressive effect on several parameters of cell-mediated immunity. The effect of energy restriction on splenic PGE₂ synthesis in Emory mice was studied. Weanling Emory mice were fed an energy-restricted (R, 71.3 kcal/wk) or control (NR, 90.8 kcal/wk) diet for 11–14 mo. The final weights of R mice were 66% of weights of NR mice (27 ± 1 vs. 41 ± 1 g for females and 34 ± 1 vs. 51 ± 1 g for males, for R and NR, respectively). NR female mice had higher spleen PGE₂ levels than NR male mice (698 ± 64 vs. 522 ± 47 ng/mg protein, P = 0.03). In all cases, R mice had less PGE₂ than NR mice, and there was no sex-related difference in R mice (418 ± 39 vs. 698 ± 64 ng/mg protein in R and NR females, P = 0.001 and 416 ± 39 vs. 522 ± 47 ng/mg protein in R and NR males, P = .009). Total spleen PGE₂ was also reduced significantly by energy restriction; however, gender differences were not observed in total spleen PGE₂ level of NR mice. Thus, 1) spleens from female mice synthesize more PGE₂/mg protein than do those from male mice, and 2) dietary energy restriction reduces ex vivo spleen PGE₂ synthesis. This phenomenon may contribute to the observed immunostimulatory effect of dietary energy restriction in mice.

KEY WORDS: • energy restriction • prostaglandin E₂ • immune system • aging • Emory mice • gender

¹ Supported in part by U.S. Department of Agriculture Contract #53-3K06-5-10 and by National Institutes of Health grant EY051-7701, Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund, Inc., The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation and by National Institutes of Health Fellowship EY05966-01.

Manuscript received 4 April 1989. Revision accepted 5 September 1989.

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