Iron, folacin, vitamin B/sub 12/ and zinc status and immune response in the elderly

Conference · Fri Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1986 · Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5455897

Henry-Christian, J R; Johnson, A A; Walters, C S; Greene, E J; Lindsey, A A

The relationships of iron, folacin, vitamin B/sub 12/ and zinc status to cell-mediated immune response were investigated among 125 healthy, elderly persons (60-87 years of age). Plasma ferritin, plasma and red cell folate, and plasma vitamin B/sub 12/ levels were assayed immuno-radiometrically. Plasma and hair zinc levels were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Immune response was determined by transformation of peripheral blood lymphocytes after stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (con A), and in mixed lymphocyte reaction. Deficiencies of iron, folacin vitamin B/sub 12/ and zinc were each associated (independently) with significantly lower lymphocyte responses to PHA and con A, and mixed lymphocyte reaction (P < 0.01). These findings indicate a depression of cell-mediated immunity in elderly persons deficient in iron, folacin, vitamin B/sub 12/ or zinc. Further, they suggest that deficiencies of these nutrients may play a role in the depression of cell-mediated immunity with age, which in turn may lead to increased susceptibility to infectious diseases and cancer in the elderly.

• Research Organization: Howard Univ., Washington, DC
• OSTI ID: 5455897
• Report Number(s): CONF-8604222-
• Journal Information: Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States), Journal Name: Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States) Vol. 45:3; ISSN FEPRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
AGED ADULTS
AGGLUTININS
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANTIBODIES
AROMATICS
AZAARENES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BLOOD PLASMA
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CONCANAVALIN
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DISEASES
DRUGS
ELEMENTS
FOLIC ACID
HAIR
HEMAGGLUTININS
HEMATINICS
HEMATOLOGIC AGENTS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
IMMUNE REACTIONS
IMMUNOASSAY
IMMUNOLOGY
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
IRON
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LECTINS
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPHOCYTES
MATERIALS
METALS
MITOGENS
MUCOPROTEINS
NEOPLASMS
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ
POLYSACCHARIDES
PROTEINS
PTERIDINES
RADIOASSAY
RADIOIMMUNOASSAY
RADIOIMMUNOLOGY
SACCHARIDES
SKIN
SOMATIC CELLS
SPECTROSCOPY
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VITAMIN B GROUP
VITAMIN B-12
VITAMINS
ZINC