The effect of vitamin B6 deficiency on cytotoxic immune responses of T cells, antibodies, and natural killer cells, and phagocytosis by macrophages

The effect of vitamin B6 on cytotoxic immune responses of T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, cytotoxic antibody production, and macrophage phagocytosis was assessed in 5-week-old female C57B1/6 mice. Mice were fed 20% casein diets with pyridoxine (PN) added at 7, 1, 0.1, or 0 mg/kg diet, which represents 700, 100, 10, and 0% of requirement, respectively. Compared to mice fed 7 or 1 mg PN diet, animals fed 0 or 0.1 mg PN diet showed significantly reduced primary splenic and peritoneal T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC). Animals fed 0 mg PN diet also showed significantly depressed secondary T CMC of splenic and peritoneal lymphocytes against P815 tumor cells. Complement-dependent antibody-mediated cytotoxicity against P815 cells, phagocytosis of SRBC by macrophages, and native and interferon-induced NK cell activities against YAC cells were not affected by the level of vitamin B6 intake. The percentage of macrophages present in the peritoneal exudate cells was increased in animals fed the 0 mg PN diet. The immune responses were not enhanced or altered by the excess intake of vitamin B6 (7 mg PN). It appears that vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient for maintenance of normal T-cell function in vivo.