Effect of vitamin a deficiency on guinea pig peyer's patches

Abstract

The effect of vitamin A deficiency on guinea pig Peyer's patches (PP) was studied. Three groups of young guinea pigs were maintained for a period of six weeks, each group on either a vitamin A-free diet, or the same diet containing vitamin A, or the vitamin-supplemented diet by pair feeding. Weight gain of the vitamin A-deficient animals ceased in the 5th week. On day of sacrifice of the animals, serum vitamin A concentration in vitamin A-deficient and pair fed (PF) groups were respectively 3.0±0.9 and 69.0±4.0 μg/100 ml. Hemoglobin and serum total protein of vitamin A-deficient animals appeared slightly reduced compared to PF control animals. Number of Peyer's patches (PP) in ilea of those animals were significantly reduced. Rosette-forming and immunoglobulin-bearing cells in their gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) were also reduced significantly. The results suggest that vitamin A deficiency in animals leads to impaired distribution of PP lymphocytes, as a result of which the role of the GALT in local immunity may be hampered.