Immune Alterations in Male and Female Mice after 2-Deoxy- d-Glucose Administration

Abstract

Dréau, D., D. S. Morton, M. Foster, J. P. Swiggett and G. Sonnenfeld. Immune alterations in male and female mice after 2-deoxy- d-glucose administration. Physiol Behav 62(6) 1325-1331, 1997.—Administration of 2-deoxy- d-glucose (2-DG) induces acute cellular glucoprivation. In the current study, we examined differences in immune parameters after 2-DG administration in both sexes. Male and female BDF 1 mice were injected three times, 48 h apart, either with a saline solution (control group) or with 2-DG in saline (500 mg/kg). Two hours after the last injection, blood and spleens were collected. Plasma levels of interleukin-1β, and interferon-γ levels were measured. Additionally, the levels of the specific leukocyte antigens CD3, CD4, CD8, T cell receptor (TCR) α/β, I-A d, and H-2L d/H-2D b were evaluated by flow cytometry on both blood and spleen cells. The blastogenic response of leukocytes from both tissues to mitogens was assessed. Levels of glucose, corticosterone, testosterone, progesterone, 17β-estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone were also determined. Increases in the percentage of cells bearing TCR α/β and I-A d in the blood and H-2L d/H-2D b in the spleen were observed in the 2-DG-treated group for both sexes. In contrast, higher corticosterone and IL-1β plasma concentrations, as well as higher percentages of splenocytes bearing TCR α/β and I-A d, and lower mitogen-induced proliferation of mature T splenocytes (79%) were observed in female but not in male mice injected with 2-DG compared with those injected with saline ( p < 0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that female mice are more sensitive than male mice to immune alterations induced by 2-DG administration.