Experimental immunology The influence of vitamin B 12 supplementation on the level of white blood cells and lymphocytes phenotype in rats fed a low-protein diet

Abstract

Protein malnutrition has a negative effect on body composition and some blood parameters, especially in the young growing organism. One of nutritional factors which could protect against negative consequences of protein deficiency may be B group vitamins. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of vitamin B12 supplementation on the immune system in rats fed a standard and a low-protein diet. Rats were fed a control (20% of energy from protein) or a protein-deficient diet (4.5% of energy from protein). Half of animals in each group were additionally supplemented with vitamin B12 (300% of the daily intake). The white blood cells analysis and lymphocytes immunophenotyping (number and percentage) were performed. Low-protein diets caused disturbances in WBC and lymphocyte subpopulations in both short- (30-day) as well as long-term periods (90-day). Vitamin B12 supplementation significantly reduced the negative impact of protein malnutrition after 30 days, however had no effect on long-term malnutrition. Furthermore, vitamin B12 addition in rats fed a control diet did not affect the studied parameters. This observation opens the promise of use of vitamin B12 supplementation to improve immune system parameters in protein malnourished organisms.

The long-term effect of a protein-deficient-diet enriched with vitamin B6 on the blood parameters in unexercised and exercised rats

“…In the present work, we noticed a reduction of NK and NKT percentage in rats fed with low-protein diet (4.5%). Similar trends were also found in other studies (Lewicki et al, 2014;Li et al, 2004). The reduction of the percentage of NK and NKT cells in peripheral blood observed in our present study is not a good prognosis for the protein malnutrition organisms.…”

“…The body weight and food consumption of rats fed for 60 days with protein-deficient diet were significantly decreased in comparison to the control rats. These results are in alignment with other studies showing that protein malnutrition reduces body mass in both humans and animals (Bray et al, 2012;Lewicki et al, 2014). The addition of vitamin B6 (300% of norm) inhibits the negative influence of protein malnutrition.…”

“…Rat T/B/NK Cell Antibody Cocktail containing: anti-Rat CD3 APC, anti-Rat CD45RA FITC, anti-Rat CD161 PE (first vial) and anti-Rat CD3 APC, anti-Rat CD8a FIT, anti-Rat CD4 PE were purchased from Becton Dickinson, Poland. The immunofluorescence staining was performed as described previously (Lewicki et al, 2014). Cytometric analysis was performed using FACS Calibur Flow Cytometer equipped with CellQuest Software (BD Biosciences).…”

Vitamin B12: Could It Be a Promising Immunotherapy?

“…Vitamin B12 could minimize the efects of protein malnutrition in the hematological or immune system-30-day addition of vitamin B12 to a low-protein diet restores white blood cell number in rats fed to protein-deicient diet [40]. All lymphocyte subpopulations are completely restored back to control levels except neutrophils and eosinophils.…”

“…All lymphocyte subpopulations are completely restored back to control levels except neutrophils and eosinophils. Rats fed a proteindeicient diet supplemented with vitamin B12 present also a normal CD4/CD8 ratio [40]. This inding is extremely important as protein malnutrition often happens in cancer patients in result of the higher demands of the tumor.…”