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The Influence of Lack of Vitamin A in the Diet on the Phagocytosis Promoting Properties of the Blood Serum¹

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Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago

The following results were obtained in experiments carried out with an improved Hamburger method on the phagocytosis promoting properties of the serum under conditions of vitamin A deficiency.

1. Rats which under the influence of vitamin A deficiency developed marked clinical symptoms, such as loss in growth and body weight, xerophthalmia, infections of skin and mucous membranes, may show either increases or decreases in the normal phagocytic index. This is due to the fact that the infectious processes which occur under vitamin A deficiency elicit the production of antibodies to an increased degree during the earlier states of the vitamin A deficiency. Later on the production of new antibodies does not keep pace with the demands of the organism and, as a result, the phagocytic index decreases considerably. Since a fully developed vitamin A deficiency may be accompanied by an increased phagocytic index this vitamin does not seem to be indispensable for the production of antibodies. Upon further progress of the disease, however, the phagocytic index decreases and explains well the fact that such animals are more susceptible to infections than animals under normal diet.

2. Weight loss and severity of symptoms do not run parallel to the changes in phagocytic index.

3. The changes in phagocytic index are completely reversible when the vitamin A deficient animals are put on a normal diet for a sufficiently long period of time.

Manuscript received 14 September 1936.

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