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 Wertman, K. F. Articles by Disque, D. T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wertman, K. F. Articles by Disque, D. T.

The Effects of Vitamin Deficiency on Some Physiological Factors of Importance in Resistance to Infection

IV. Riboflavin Deficiency

Department of Biological Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Male white rats were maintained on a well defined diet deficient in riboflavin, and various physiological factors of importance in resistance to infection were studied. Adequate numbers of inanition and ad libitum control animals were included. The following physiological factors were studied:

(1) the cellular composition of the peripheral blood;

(2) complement activity;

(3) cellular migration in inflammation;

(4) the cellular composition of the exudate in inflammation;

(5) "leukotaxine" activity, and

(6) the cellular composition of bone marrow.

The following observations were made from these studies:

1 No change was noted in the total erythrocyte count in the peripheral blood. A leucopenia was evident in the riboflavin-deficient and inanition-control animals. Differential cell counts of the blood leucocytes of the riboflavin-deficient rats and their inanition controls showed a slight percentage increase in polymorphonuclear neutrophiles.

2 Complement activity of the sera of riboflavin-deficient and the inanition-control rats was decreased to the same degree.

3 There was a marked decrease in the total number of leucocytes in the peritoneal exudates of the riboflavin-deficient and inanition-control groups.

4 Peritoneal exudates of riboflavin-deficient rats demonstrated a decrease in the relative percentage of mononuclear leucocytes and a relative increase in lymphocytes.

5 No alteration in capillary permeability, as measured by the Menkin dye-accumulation technique, was noted in any group.

6 Relative granulocytoses and lymphopenia were observed in the bone marrow of inanition controls as compared with ad libitum controls. Bone marrow of the riboflavin-deficient rats demonstrated a less severe granulocytosis than that of the inanition controls. The degree of lymphopenia between the two groups was approximately identical.

Manuscript received 25 May 1957.