Immunoregulatory Consequences of Vitamin Deficiencies on Background Plaque-Forming Cells in Rats

Summary Background hemolytic plaque-forming cells (PFC) directed against three erythrocyte targets were measured in rats with three different, specific vitamin deficiencies: riboflavin, pyridoxine, and pantothenic acid, as well as in control rats. The numbers of background PFC were found to be elevated in all three vitamin-deficiency states compared with controls, whereas earlier studies showed that postimmunization PFC were markedly depressed in those deficiencies tested. The significance of these findings is discussed in terms of a possible loss of suppressor cells. This work was supported by grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (1 RO1 HD 08549-01) to A. E. Axelrod, and the Health Research and Services Foundation (R-62) to A. Koros. We thank Dr. T. T. Hayashi, Dr. T. J. Gill, III, and Dr. G. Werner for their special help in this project. We also thank Helen Baginski for technical assistance, and Lorraine Repasky for preparation of the manuscript.