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Quantitative Effects of Nutritional Protein and Calorie Deficiency upon Immune Responses to Tumors in Mice¹

Research Laboratories of the Variety Club Heart Hospital and Departments of Pediatrics, Immunobiology, and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

Protein calorie deficiency has been reported to increase resistance of animals to viral infection and malignant tumors while decreasing resistance to bacterial infection. Measurement of specific cellular and humoral immune responses to tumors in allogenic, syngenic, and autochthonous mouse systems showed both resonses to be depressed by nutritional protein or calorie restriction, but humoral responses were affected at a higher nutritional level than are cellular responses. A range of moderate protein deficiency was found where cellular immune responses were enhanced due to lack of blocking serum antibody, and animals on this dietary protein level showed marked inhibition of tumor growth. Changes in lymphoid cell numbers and kinetics of the cellular response were found that may reflect mechanisms to conserve nutritional reserves.

¹ Supported by grants from the American Cancer Society, The National Foundation—March of Dimes, the American Heart Association, and USPHS Grant AI-08677.

² Recipient of a C. J. Martin Research Fellowship of the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. Present address: Royal Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Melbourne, Australia 3052.

Received 11/ 6/72. Accepted 1/15/73.

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