ZINC-DEFICIENCY AND ENERGY RESTRICTION MODIFY IMMUNE-RESPONSES IN MICE DURING BOTH PRIMARY AND CHALLENGE INFECTION WITH HELIGMOSOMOIDES-POLYGYRUS (NEMATODA)

This study characterized the consequences of zinc-sufficient (Zn+, 60 mg zinc/kg diet, ad libitum), zinc-deficient (Zn-, 0.75 mg zinc/kg die t which was restricted to match food intake of Zn- mice) diets on the in vivo and in vitro immune response of BALB/c mice during both primar y and challenge infection with Heligmosomoides polygyrus. In Zn+ mice, both primary and challenge infection with H. polygyrus induced not on ly a strong Th2 response (IgE, IgG1, eosinophilia, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10), but also elements of a Th1 response (IgG3, IFN-gamma). Zinc deficienc y significantly depressed Th2-dependent antibody production during bot h primary and challenge infection, and reduced mitogen and antigen-ind uced T cell proliferation during the mitogen and antigen-induced T cel l proliferation during the challenge infection. Th2 cytokine productio n was reduced by zinc deficiency (IL-4), energy restriction (IL-5) and by zinc deficiency possibly in combination with energy restriction (I L-10) during the primary infection whereas Th1 cytokine production (IF N-gamma) was depressed during the challenge infection by zinc deficien cy, possibly together with energy restriction. Both zinc deficiency an d energy restriction reduced eosinophilia with the more profound effec t being exerted by zinc deficiency. Thus, both zinc deficiency and its concurrent energy restriction modify immune responses in the mice dur ing primary and challenge infection with H. polygyrus.