Granulocytic activation and reciprocal immunosuppression induced by dehydration: relationship with renal failure

Mice were fed for 3 days without drinking water to produce dehydration. Lymphocytes and leukocytes yielded by the liver, spleen, thymus, kidney, and bone marrow decreased gradually from day 1 to day 3. The bone marrow which contained mainly granulocytes was most resistant to the abovementioned cytopenia. The remaining lymphocytes on day 3, namely dehydration-resistant cells, were found to be extrathymic T cells (i.e., IL-2Rβ+CD3int cells or NKT cells) in all tested organs. Interestingly, granulocytes (i.e., Mac-1+Gr-1+) appeared on day 3 in various organs, including the kidney. Dehydration induced an elevation of hematocrit in the blood and showed evidence of renal and hepatic failure. Granulocytes isolated from these organs were at activated states in terms of superoxide production. Serum levels of corticosterone and plasma levels of catecholamines were found to increase due to dehydration. These results suggest that dehydration is intimately associated with immunosuppression and reciprocal granulocyte activation, which may finally induces renal failure by activated granulocytes.