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

This Article Full Text 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 HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dawson, H. D. Articles by Ross, A. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Dawson, H. D. Articles by Ross, A. C.

---

Biochemical and Molecular Action of Nutrients

Chronic Marginal Vitamin A Status Reduces Natural Killer Cell Number and Function in Aging Lewis Rats¹

Department of Nutrition and ^* Graduate Program in Nutrition, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802

³To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Natural killer (NK) cells function in the regulation of immune responses and in the surveillance of malignant or other abnormal cells. Little is known of the effects of chronic marginal vitamin A (VA) status or VA supplementation, or their interaction with age, on NK cell number and cytolytic activity. We have conducted a two-factor (diet, age) study in which male Lewis rats were fed AIN-93M diet, modified to contain either 0.3 (designated marginal), 4.0 (control) or 50 (supplemented) mg retinol equivalents (RE)/kg diet, from the time of weaning until the ages of 2.5 mo (young), 8–10 mo (middle-aged) or 18–20 mo (old). Natural killer cells were identified and quantified in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and spleen with the use of flow cytometry, and NK cell cytotoxicity was assayed. The number and percentage of PBMC NK cells increased with age (P < 0.0001 by two-way ANOVA). For all age groups, values were lowest in rats with marginal VA status (P < 0.0001 vs. controls). NK cell lytic activity also declined with age (P = 0.0003). As a result, NK cell lytic efficiency (lytic activity per NK cell) decreased markedly with age (P < 0.0001). Regardless of the donor's age or VA status, PBMC NK cell cytotoxicity doubled (100 ± 25% increase) after exposure to interferon- (5 x 10⁵ U/L for 1 h before assay), indicating that IFN-stimulated lytic activity was related directly to basal NK cell activity. If the relationships observed in this animal model can be applied to humans, these data suggest that elderly people consuming diets chronically low in VA may be at increased risk for infectious or neoplastic diseases.

KEY WORDS: • aging • immunophenotyping • vitamin A supplementation • liver function • rats

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. E. Lackey, S. L. Ashley, A. L. Davis, and K. A. Hoag Retinoic Acid Decreases Adherence of Murine Myeloid Dendritic Cells and Increases Production of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 J. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 138(8): 1512 - 1519. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Yamada, S. Mizuno, A. C. Ross, and I. Sugawara Retinoic Acid Therapy Attenuates the Severity of Tuberculosis While Altering Lymphocyte and Macrophage Numbers and Cytokine Expression in Rats Infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis J. Nutr., December 1, 2007; 137(12): 2696 - 2700. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Zolfaghari, C. J. Cifelli, S. O. Lieu, Q. Chen, N.-q. Li, and A. C. Ross Lipopolysaccharide opposes the induction of CYP26A1 and CYP26B1 gene expression by retinoic acid in the rat liver in vivo Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, April 1, 2007; 292(4): G1029 - G1036. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. C. Ross and R. Zolfaghari Regulation of Hepatic Retinol Metabolism: Perspectives from Studies on Vitamin A Status J. Nutr., January 1, 2004; 134(1): 269S - 275. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. C. Ross Retinoid Production and Catabolism: Role of Diet in Regulating Retinol Esterification and Retinoic Acid Oxidation J. Nutr., January 1, 2003; 133(1): 291S - 296. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Zolfaghari and A. C. Ross Lecithin:retinol acyltransferase from mouse and rat liver: cDNA cloning and liver-specific regulation by dietary vitamin A and retinoic acid J. Lipid Res., December 1, 2000; 41(12): 2024 - 2034. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				Y. YAMAMOTO, R. ZOLFAGHARI, and A. C. ROSS Regulation of CYP26 (cytochrome P450RAI) mRNA expression and retinoic acid metabolism by retinoids and dietary vitamin A in liver of mice and rats FASEB J, October 1, 2000; 14(13): 2119 - 2127. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				N. Ahluwalia, M. A. Gordon, G. Handte, M. Mahlon, N.-Q. Li, J. L. Beard, D. Weinstock, and A. C. Ross Iron Status and Stores Decline with Age in Lewis Rats J. Nutr., September 1, 2000; 130(9): 2378 - 2383. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				H. D. Dawson, Y. Yamamoto, R. Zolfaghari, F. J. Rosales, J. Dietz, T. Shimada, N.-q. Li, and A. C. Ross Regulation of Hepatic Vitamin A Storage in a Rat Model of Controlled Vitamin A Status during Aging J. Nutr., May 1, 2000; 130(5): 1280 - 1286. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				H. D. Dawson and A. C. Ross Chronic Marginal Vitamin A Status Affects the Distribution and Function of T Cells and Natural T Cells in Aging Lewis Rats J. Nutr., October 1, 1999; 129(10): 1782 - 1790. [Abstract] [Full Text]