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Updated: Jun 8, 2026
In Vivo Augmentation of Gut-Homing Regulatory T Cell Induction
Published on: January 22, 2020
Vitamin A deficiency alters splenic dendritic cell subsets and increases CD8(+)Gr-1(+) memory T lymphocytes in
David M Duriancik1, Kathleen A Hoag
1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Vitamin A-deficient populations have impaired T cell-dependent antibody responses. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most proficient antigen-presenting cells to naïve T cells. In the mouse, CD11b(+) myeloid DCs stimulate T helper (Th) 2 antibody immune responses, while CD8α(+) lymphoid DCs stimulate Th1 cell-mediated immune responses. Therefore, we hypothesized that vitamin A-deficient animals would have decreased numbers of myeloid DCs and unaffected numbers of lymphoid DCs. We performed dietary depletion of vitamin A in C57BL/6J male and female mice and used multicolor flow cytometry to quantify immune cell populations of the spleen, with particular focus on DC subpopulations. We show that vitamin A-depleted animals have increased polymorphonuclear neutrophils, lymphoid DCs, and memory CD8(+) T cells and decreased CD4(+) T lymphocytes. Therefore, vitamin A deficiency alters splenic DC subpopulations, which may contribute to skewed immune responses of vitamin A-deficient populations.
Vitamin A-deficient populations have impaired T cell-dependent antibody responses. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most proficient antigen-presenting cells to naïve T cells. In the mouse, CD11b(+) myeloid DCs stimulate T helper (Th) 2 antibody immune responses, while CD8α(+) lymphoid DCs stimulate Th1 cell-mediated immune responses. Therefore, we hypothesized that vitamin A-deficient animals would have decreased numbers of myeloid DCs and unaffected numbers of lymphoid DCs. We performed dietary depletion of vitamin A in C57BL/6J male and female mice and used multicolor flow cytometry to quantify immune cell populations of the spleen, with particular focus on DC subpopulations. We show that vitamin A-depleted animals have increased polymorphonuclear neutrophils, lymphoid DCs, and memory CD8(+) T cells and decreased CD4(+) T lymphocytes. Therefore, vitamin A deficiency alters splenic DC subpopulations, which may contribute to skewed immune responses of vitamin A-deficient populations.
