The effects of malnutrition on murine peritoneal macrophages.

Differences were detected between peritoneal macrophages (both resident and elicited) from mice on a low protein diet and from normal animals. The concentration of resident peritoneal macrophages was lower in animals on low protein diets than in normal controls. Although total protein (and therefore cell mass) of resident macrophages from malnourished mice was increased, their contents of thiamine pyrophosphatase, succinate dehydrogenase, and non-specific esterase were disproportionately reduced. In addition they did not ingest as many glutaraldehyde-fixed sheep erythrocytes or attach to as many adherent C3b sensitized sheep red blood cells as those from normal animals, although reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium was unaffected. Initially (24 hr after thioglycollate), elicited macrophages from malnourished mice did not divide as frequently as those from normal mice but by 48 hr the differences were insignificant. The elicited macrophage possessed lower levels of total protein (indicating a reduced cell mass); the levels of acid phosphatase, thiamine pyrophosphatase, succinate dehydrogenase, and nonspecific esterase and nitroblue reducing activity were also proportionately reduced. They ingested fewer glutaraldehyde-fixed erythrocytes and reacted with fewer C3b sensitised sheep red blood cells than those from normal mice; ingestion of IgG-coated sheep erythrocytes, on the other hand, was somewhat increased. These abnormalities may influence adversely the efficiency of early phlogistic responses and favor the establishment of infection in malnourished animals.