S-18-2 Zinc Status in Proliferative Response of T Lymphocytes

Abstract

In man and animals in zinc (Zn) deficiency or with hereditary malabsorption of Zn, immunological disturbance as well as growth retardation has been described, including involution of thymus and lymphoid organs and increased susceptibi1ity to i nfection [1,2]. Such immunological disturbance are restored by oral or parenteral administration of Zn compounds. Since the first observation on dysfunction of cell-mediated immunity in Zn-deprived mice [3], experimental studies with dietary Zn deficiency as a single nutritional variable have shown a significant depression of T cell pro!iferation and function as shown in Table 1 [4]. Zn is thus considered as a critical biofactor to regulate T cell-dependent immune response through Zn-dependent immune processes. An in vitro experiment moreover shows that proliferative response of T cells are more susceptible to Zn depriviation with chelating agent compared with that of B cel Is [5]. It is much of interest why T cells are highly susceptible to depriviation of Zn. © 1992, Center for Academic Publications Japan. All rights reserved.