Failure of dietary restriction to enhance cytolytic and chemiluminescent activity of peritoneal exudate cells from ageing rats

Abstract

Investigations into the cytolytic activity of peritoneal macrophages from male Sprague-Dawley rats (activated in vivo with Corynebacterium parvum) utilised SV40-3T3 and L-929 target cells in a 72 h [ 3H]thymidine release assay. The dietary restricted rats under test were given a measured amount of food from weaning sufficient to maintain their body weights at approximately 50% of age-matched controls fed ad libitum. Cytolytic activity was similar in the two dietary groups at both 13 and 21 months of age, nor were chemiluminescent responses of peritoneal cells to latex or zymosan particles affected by the dietary restriction. No differences were seen in the effectiveness of zymosan particles opsonised with serum pooled from dietary restricted versus control rats in stimulating chemiluminescent responses by standard preparations of peritoneal cells, and concentrations of serum C3 and IgG appeared to be unchanged by the dietary regime.