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T lymphopenia in genetically obese rats
S i Tanaka1, F Isoda, T Yamakawa
1The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, 236, Japan. tanakasi@yellow.med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp
Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology
|March 7, 1998
Summary
Obesity in rats significantly reduces T cells in the blood, spleen, and thymus. This impairment affects T-cell subsets and lowers splenocyte responses, impacting immune function in obese animals.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Metabolic Disorders
- Animal Models
Background:
- Obesity is linked to increased infection susceptibility, but mechanisms remain unclear.
- Genetically obese Zucker rats (fa/fa) serve as a model for studying obesity-related health issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term effects of genetic obesity on lymphocyte subsets and immune cell function in rats.
- To determine how obesity impacts T-cell populations and splenocyte responsiveness over time.
Main Methods:
- Long-term measurements of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood, spleen, and thymus of obese (fa/fa) and non-obese (Fa/-) Zucker rats.
- Flow cytometric analysis to quantify T-cell subsets (CD4+, CD8+).
- Assessment of splenocyte blastogenic response to mitogens.
Main Results:
- Obese rats exhibited obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hyperinsulinemia from 5 weeks of age.
- Significant reductions in T cells (CD4+ and CD8+) were observed in peripheral blood, spleen, and thymus of obese rats by 8 weeks of age.
- Obese rats showed significantly lower proliferative responses of splenocytes to mitogens.
Conclusions:
- Long-term obesity in rats is associated with a reduced T-cell pool size.
- Obesity impairs the responsiveness of splenocytes, potentially contributing to increased infection susceptibility.