Impairment of blastogenic response of splenic lymphocytes from iron-deficient mice: in vivo repletion.

Iron-deficiency anemia impaired the blastogenic response of splenic lymphocytes and partially purified T cells to Concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin. The response of splenic lymphocytes and partially B cells to bacterial lipopolysaccharide was also significantly impaired. Caloric restriction in pair-fed mice did not have any significant effect. Blastogenic response to the three mitogens was restored to normal after anemic mice were fed the regular diet containing 25 to 30 mg Fe/kg (FeSO4) for approximately 10 days. We also found that in the anemic mice the mean wet weights per 100 g of body of spleen, heart, brain, and kidney increased, while those of the thymus and liver decreased. In the pair-fed mice only the mean wet weight of the liver significantly decreased. There was a small but significant decrease in the white blood count and peripheral lymphocyte count in the anemic but not the pair-fed mice. The mechanism by which iron deficiency impairs the cell-mediated immune response is discussed.