IgA B and T lymphocytes in the bronchus associated lymphoid tissue of malnourish rats

M.GABRIELA MÁRQUEZ; GUSTAVO A.SOSA; INÉS FERNANDEZ; M ESTELA ROUX

Comunicaciones Biológicas

Revista de Edición Argentina

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 1994 vol. 12 p. 105 - 111

0326-1956

Previous studies have shown that severe protein deficiency at weaning provokes alterations at the level of the intestinal mucosae. Wistar rats protein deprived at weaning were protein refed by the oral route with a 20% casein diet during 21 days (E). Control rats of the same age received a comercial diet (C). On serial paraffin sections of the lower respiratory tract IgA+ B and CD5+ T cells were characterized by indirect immunofluorescence. Results are the number of cells in 15 fields of BALT lamina propria (X+SE). It was observed that IgA+ B cells were significantly diminished in (E), as well as CD5+ T cells, when compared to (C). Therefore we conclude that severe protein malnutrition provokes permanent alterations in the LP of BALT. This finding, together with previous ones on the intestinal mucosae and on the GALT confirms the existence of a common mucosal immune system at least between BALT and GALT.