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Effects of protein depletion on NK cell cytotoxicity and bone marrow cellularity

  • Nutritional Disturbances in Cancer Patients
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Abstract

Tumor bearing patients have repeatedly been shown to develop states of protein depletion (PD). PD has frequently been associated with depression of acquired immunity. In contrast, little is known about the effects of PD on natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and on bone marrow cellularity and how modulation of these parameters by maleic anhydride divinyl ether copolymer (MVE-2) would be affected.

BALB/c mice 6–10 weeks old were fed normal diets (18% protein) (ND mice) or protein deficient isocaloric diets (PD mice) for 35 days. On days 5, 9, 15, 23, and 35 assays were performed. Three days prior to each assay day, some groups received MVE-2 i.p. In PD mice spontaneous NK activity was reduced by some 80%. After MVE-2 the levels only rose to half the amount of activity of ND mice, although in both groups an increase of NK activity took place. BMC levels of PD mice were also strongly decreased. After MVE-2, increases of BMC in PD mice were quite weak and did not reach the level of normal unstimulated BMC. In PD mice we found body weight loss of 46%, reduction in albumin and total protein of 22% and complete disappearance of prealbumin after 5 days of diets. Preliminary results indicate that repletion with amino acids (NeoAminomel L12.5 o.K.H. Salvia, Boehringer Mannheim Co.) is able restore NK activities and BMC levels.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Immunopharmacology Section, Biological Therapeutics Branch, Biological Response Modifiers Program, Division of Cancer Treatment, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick Cancer Research Facility, Building 560, Room 31-76, 21701, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.

    Ralf Ruffmann, Tamara Tartaris, Eileen Gruys, Roy D. Welker, Tohru Saito & Michael A. Chirigos

  2. Laboratory of Molecular Immunoregulation, Biological Response Modifiers Program, Division of Cancer Treatment, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick Cancer Research Facility, 21701, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.

    Erich Schlich

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  1. Ralf Ruffmann
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  2. Erich Schlich
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Ruffmann, R., Schlich, E., Tartaris, T. et al. Effects of protein depletion on NK cell cytotoxicity and bone marrow cellularity. Med. Oncol. & Tumor Pharmacother. 2, 195–202 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02934548

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