QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Umezawa, M. Articles by Takeda, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Umezawa, M. Articles by Takeda, T.

Effects of Dietary Restriction on Age-Related Immune Dysfunction in the Senescence Accelerated Mouse (SAM)¹

Makiko Umezawa^*, Keigo Hanada^*, Hironobu Naiki^*, Wen-Hsi Chen^**, Masanori Hosokawa^*, Masamichi Hosono, Tomohide Hosokawa and Toshio Takeda^*,2

^* Department of Senescence Biology Department of Immunology, Chest Disease Research Institute ^** Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606 Department of Preventive Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto 602, Japan

The effects of age and dietary restriction on immune response were investigated using an animal model of accelerated senescence (senescence accelerated mouse, SAM). The experimental groups consisted of control (ad libitum fed) and restricted groups (fed 60% of energy intake of the controls). Spleen weight and total number of splenic cells were significantly lower in the food-restricted group at 8 mo of age. Percentages of T (Thy-1.1⁺) and B (surface Ig⁺) cells in the splenic cells were not significantly different between the two groups. The number of direct hemolytic plaque-forming cells per 10⁶ spleen cells 4 d following immunization with sheep red blood cells and dinitrophenyl-Ficoll was significantly greater in the 8-mo-old mice in the food-restricted group than in the control group. In the latter group, antibody responses progressively decreased with age. Mitogen responses to concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide were maintained in the food-restricted group but were depressed in the control group at 8 mo. In addition, though autoantibody to single-stranded DNA increased in the control group with advancing age, there was a steady decrease in the food-restricted group until 8 mo. Serum immunoglobulin (IgA and IgM) concentrations were significantly lower in the food-restricted group than in controls at 8 mo of age. Therefore, our results suggest that when senescence accelerated mice are subjected to food restriction, there may be a modulatory effect on the immune dysfunction associated with advancing age.

KEY WORDS: • senescence accelerated mouse (SAM) • dietary restriction • immunity • aging

¹ This work was supported by grants from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japan.

² Send correspondence and reprint requests to this author at the Department of Senescence Biology, Chest Disease Research Institute, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606, Japan.

Manuscript received 16 February 1989. Revision accepted 6 April 1990.