Effect of selenium and vitamin E dietary deficiencies on chick lymphoid organ development (42361)

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3181/00379727-182-42361· OSTI ID:6936086

Marsh, J A; Combs, Jr, G F; Whitacre, M E; Dietert, R R

Diets specifically deficient in selenium (Se) and/or vitamin E or adequate in both nutrients were fed to chicks from the time of hatching. Lymphoid organs (bursa, thymus, and in some instances, spleen) were collected from chicks 7-35 days of age. Growth of the chicks fed these diets was monitored over the experimental period as was lymphoid organ growth. The development of the primary lymphoid organs was further assessed by histological techniques and the organ contents of vitamin E (..cap alpha..-tocopherol) and Se were determined. Specific deficiencies of either Se or vitamin E were found to significantly impair bursal growth as did a combined deficiency. Thymic growth was impaired only by the combined deficiency diet. Severe histopathological changes in the bursa resulted from the combined deficiency and these were detectable by 10-14 days after hatching. These changes were characterized by a gradual degeneration of the epithelium and an accompanying depletion of lymphocytes. Similar changes, although slower to develop and less severe, were observed in the thymus as a result of the combined deficiency. When both serum and tissue levels of vitamin E and Se were monitored, it was observed that these were rapidly and independently depleted by the specific deficiency diets. These data suggest that the primary lymphoid organs are major targets of Se and vitamin E dietary deficiencies and provide a possible mechanism by which immune function may be impaired.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY
• OSTI ID: 6936086
• Journal Information: Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.; (United States), Vol. 182:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CHICKENS
ANIMAL GROWTH
SELENIUM
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
VITAMIN E
CRITICAL ORGANS
EPITHELIUM
IMMUNOLOGY
LYMPHOCYTES
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
THYMUS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIRDS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
ELEMENTS
FOWL
GROWTH
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
MATERIALS
ORGANS
SEMIMETALS
SOMATIC CELLS
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES
VITAMINS
550500* - Metabolism