Nucleotide-Free Diet Impairs T-Helper Cell Functions in Antibody Production in Response to T-Dependent Antigens in Normal C57Bl/6 Mice ,

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Abstract
We have previously shown that polynucleotides enhance in vitro antibody production in response to T-dependent antigens. This study examines the importance of dietary nucleotides on in vivo antibody production in response to antigen stimuli. C57Bl/6 mice fed a nucleotide-free diet for more than 3 wk demonstrated significantly lower antibody production to T-dependent antigens both in vivo and in vitro compared with control mice fed a nonpurified diet. Numbers of immunoglobulin M and G secreting cells in the spleen were also lower in mice fed a nucleotide-free diet after the challenge of T-dependent antigens compared to the controls. Responses to T-independent antigens remained intact in mice fed a nucleotide-free diet. T-helper cells from mice fed a nucleotide-free diet were less capable of inducing T-dependent antibody production in vitro compared with those from mice fed a nonpurified diet. Intraperitoneal injection of a mononucleotide-nucleoside mixture restored T-helper cell functions and T-dependent antibody production in mice fed a nucleotide-free diet. These results may indicate the importance of dietary nucleotides in maintaining optimal T-helper cell functions for humoral immune responses in response to T-dependent antigens.