EFFECTS OF 2-DEOXY-D-GLUCOSE ADMINISTRATION ON IMMUNE PARAMETERS IN MICE

Physical exercise and diet alterations have been shown to affect immun e parameters. Similar effects are also induced by the administration o f the non-metabolizable glucose analog, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG). The current study was designed to characterize the effects of glucoprivati on induced by 2-DG administration on leukocyte subset distribution and function. BDF, mice (n = 8 per group) were injected intraperitoneally one or three times with 0, 500, 750, 1000 or 1500 mg/kg of 2-DG. Two hours after the last injection of 2-DG, immunological parameters were analyzed. A dose-dependent increase in plasma glucose concentrations o f mice injected once with up to 1500 mg/kg of 2-DG was observed (p < 0 .001). After either one or three injections of up to 1500 mg/kg of 2-D G, corticosterone levels, leukocyte counts in the spleen, and CD3 + ce lls in the thymus increased. In vitro proliferation of partially purif ied lymphocytes from the spleen in the presence of both concanavalin-A and lipopolysaccharide decreased in a dose dependent manner (p < 0.05 ). In addition, after three injections, the proportion of both thymocy tes and splenocytes bearing alpha beta-TCR increased as the concentrat ion of 2-DG increased (p < 0.01). These results demonstrate that 2-DG administration induced dose-dependent changes in both thymus and splee n cell distribution and function. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All r ights reserved.