The immune response to pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in zinc-depleted mice

Zinc depletion affects several facets of the immune system and the resistance to infections. We assessed the effect of zinc deprivation on the immune response to the pneumococcal polysaccharide antigens in the commercially available Pneumovax pneumococcal vaccine. Young female BALB/c mice were fed diets with 2.7, 5.8 or 25 micro g of elemental zinc per mg diet. After six weeks of pair feeding, there were significant differences in the mean body weights between the feeding groups and we demonstrated a dose response of the zinc level in the diet on growth. The induced zinc deficiency had no discernible effect on the antipneumococcal polysaccharide immunoglobulin M (IgM) response following immunization with the pneumococcal vaccine. Although zinc depletion has a detrimental effect on the immune system, the murine T-cell-independent response to antigens such as those in the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule does not seem to be affected.