Depression of T-cell function and normality of B-cell response in protein calorie malnutrition.

Antibody response to a T-cell dependent antigen, sheep erythrocytes and to a B-cell mitogen, purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS), has been studied in mice kept on protein deficient (2 and 4 per cent casein) diets. The number of plaque-forming cells (PFC) to SRBC were 20-5 +/- 7-7 per million spleen cells in protein-deficient animals compared to 261-0 +/- 31-1 in parallel controls maintained on a protein rich diet (18 per cent casein). No difference was observed in number of PFC formed in controls and deficient animals to LPS, values were 161-4 +/- 19-7, 158-5 +/- 14-2, & 162-3 +/- 31-9 in control (18 per cent casein) and deficient groups (4 per cent and 2 per cent casein) respectively. The delayed hypersensitivity skin reaction to SRBC measured in foot pads was significantly lower in mice on 4 per cent casein diet compared to controls. These studies suggest that the effect of protein deficiency is primarily on T-cell function and not on the B-cell response;