Calorie restriction modifies the delayed-type hypersensitivity response to the hapten trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid and to hapten-modified syngeneic spleen cells.

We have studied the influence of different degrees of calorie restriction on the induction and the regulation of the delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) and TNBS-modified spleen cells (TNBS-SC), injected by the sc or the iv route. Immediately after weaning, BALB/c mice were placed on restricted diets for either 2 or 4 weeks and then the DTH response was induced. The results showed that a 37.5% restriction in the food supply significantly depressed the level of the DTH response induced by the sc injection of TNBS-SC. In contrast, a 25% restriction in the food supply was insufficient to depress the response. Calorie restriction did not modify the inhibitory influence of an iv injection of TNBS-SC on the DTH response. However, iv presensitization with free hapten or the simultaneous injection of TNBS-SC by the iv and the sc routes did not significantly depress the DTH response in calorie-restricted mice, indicating a defect in the inhibitory regulation of the DTH response in these dietary groups.