Increased resistance to Salmonella infection of hypoferremic mice fed a low-protein diet

BALB/c and CBA/CA mice fed a protein-deficient diet developed a plasma hypoferremia corresponding to a 30 percent lowering of serum iron concentration. This hypoferremia persisted as long as the diet was maintained. Hypoferremic CBA/CA mice had increased resistance to Salmonella typhimurium C5 infection, as shown by the reduced lethal activity and the decreased growth of the bacteria in the spleen and in the peritoneal exudate of the deficient animals. This induced resistance was abolished after injection of iron or Desferal into the restricted animals. Such resistance was not observed with BALB/c mice fed a protein-deficient diet, in spite of the plasma hypoferremia. The growth of S. typhimurium C5 in the spleen and in the peritoneal exudate of these animals did not differ from the growth observed in control animals fed a protein-sufficient diet. This study suggests that hypoferremia induced by a protein-deficient diet is probably involved in the enhancement of resistance of CBA/CA mice to Salmonella infection, and that the phenomenon is host-strain dependent.