TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA, PROSTANOIDS AND IMMUNOGLOBULINS IN MAGNESIUM-DEFICIENCY

Male Wistar rats (5 per group) weighing about 200 g were fed diets con taining 70, 110, 208, 320 and 850 ppm Mg. An additional group receivin g the 850 ppm Mg diet was pair fed to the 70 ppm group. At day 0 and a fter 10, 20 and 30 days plasma was taken for determination of IgG, IgM , IgA and total protein. After 30 days 6-keto PGF(1 alpha), thromboxan e B-2 (TXB(2)) and TNF-alpha were measured in plasma. TNF-alpha and 6- keto PGF(1 alpha) were increased when the plasma Mg2+ concentration wa s below 0.15 mM and TXB(2) was increased when plasma Mg2+ was lower th an 0.3 mM. IgG and IgA were significantly reduced below 0.3 mM plasma Mg2+ and IgM below 0.4 mM plasma Mg2+. From the different Mg2+ sensiti vity of these alterations it may be concluded that the increase of TXA (2) and the decrease of immunoglobulins are induced by reduction of th e extracellular Mg2+ concentration or the Mg2+/Ca2+ ratio and not by T NF-alpha.