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Effects of nutritional recuperation on E-rosetting lymphocytes and in vitro response to thymosin in malnourished
J R Cruz1, F Chew, R A Fernandez
1Division of Nutrition and Health, Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama, Guatemala City.
Insights
Nutritional therapy improved T-lymphocyte function in malnourished children, but responses varied. Thymosin boosted E-rosette formation, indicating persistent immature T-lymphocytes even after nutritional support.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Nutritional Science
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Severe malnutrition can impair immune function, particularly T-lymphocyte subsets.
- T-lymphocytes play a crucial role in cell-mediated immunity.
- Nutritional rehabilitation is essential for restoring immune competence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess T-lymphocyte E-rosette formation in acutely malnourished children.
- To evaluate the impact of nutritional therapy on T-lymphocyte function.
- To investigate the responsiveness of T-lymphocytes to thymosin in malnourished children.
Main Methods:
- Determined the percentage of peripheral blood lymphocytes forming E-rosettes in 8 malnourished children.
- Measured E-rosette formation at admission, and after 14 and 28-30 days of nutritional therapy.
- Assessed the in vitro effect of thymosin fraction 5 on E-rosette formation.
Main Results:
- The mean percentage of E-rosettes increased during nutritional therapy but did not reach statistical significance.
- In vitro thymosin fraction 5 significantly increased E-rosette formation at all time points.
- E-rosette percentage and thymosin response did not correlate with anthropometric nutritional status measures.
Conclusions:
- Immature T-lymphocytes persist in circulation in severely malnourished children even after clinical improvement.
- Nutritional status alone may not fully determine T-lymphocyte function in malnutrition.
- Other factors likely modulate T-lymphocyte function, warranting further research with thymic factor administration.
Abstract:
The percentage of peripheral blood lymphocytes forming rosettes with sheep erythrocytes (E-rosettes) was determined at admission to the INCAP Clinical Center in eight acutely malnourished Guatemalan children, and again after 14 and 28-30 days of nutritional therapy. While the mean percentage of E-rosettes increased during therapy, the change (from 35.6 +/- 10% to 43.3 +/- 19%) did not reach statistical significance because of the variable response of different subjects. At each time period, however, in vitro incubation with the thymic factor, thymosin fraction 5, significantly increased the percentage of E-rosetting lymphocytes. The presence of thymosin responsive cells in circulation after 1 month of optimal nutritional support indicates that immature T-lymphocytes can persist in circulation in patients with severe malnutrition, even after clinical improvement. Thus, neither the percentage of E-rosettes in peripheral blood nor their response to in vitro incubation with thymosin correlated with anthropometric measures of nutritional status in individual patients. This suggests that other nutritional or nonnutritional factors may be important modulating influences on T-lymphocytes, and that prospective studies with thymic factor administration are warranted.