Effect of experimental zinc deficiency and repletion on some immunological variables in guinea-pigs

1. Cellular and humoral immune responses were studied in guinea-pigs fed on zinc-deficient (ZnD), Zn-adequate (control) and Zn-replete diets containing 1.25, 50 and 100 mg Zn/kg diet respectively. 2. It was found that the ZnD guinea-pigs had significantly decreased ability to elicit delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response against sheep erythrocytes as compared with controls on the 9th day of immunization. This was further substantiated by histological examination of DTH-positive skin sections. 3. A significant reduction in direct splenic plaque-forming-cell response and haemagglutinating-antibody titre was also observed in ZnD guinea-pigs. 4. Serum electrophoretic studies revealed a highly disordered protein profile with a significantly depressed value for gamma-globulin. 5. Zn repletion of the previously ZnD group resulted in marked, though incomplete, restoration of immunological responses.