EFFECT OF VITAMIN-E ON CELL-MEDIATED IMMUNE-RESPONSES AND SERUM CORTICOSTERONE IN YOUNG AND MATURING MICE

Abstract

A high vitamin E diet altered cell-mediated immune responses of maturing BALB/c mice. Serum corticosterone concentrations in these animals were also determined because of the pharmacological effect the glucocorticoid hormone has on immune systems. Mice receiving high vitamin E diet (20 times higher than the vitamin E concentration in control diet) showed significant increase in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity within 1 wk after initiation of the diet. Adult levels of spleen and intestinal ADCC activities were reached at a much younger age in these high vitamin E-treated animals. In addition, there was a good correlation between increase in spleen and intestinal ADCC activities and the significantly lower than control concentration of serum corticosterone in these mice. However, after prolonged consumption of high vitamin E diet, decrease in ADCC activity was observed in these mice. No significant differences in PHA[phytohemagglutinin]-induced spleen lymphocytes [3H]-thymidine incorporation, along with a decrease in serum corticosterone levels, were observed in mice given either high vitamin E or the control diets throughout most study periods.