Abstract
Host nutritional status directly interferes with immunity and/or susceptibility to infectious diseases. To understand the mechanisms behind this relationship, the use of animal models and feeding protocols is necessary. In the literature, studies reporting marasmic malnutrition in mice are not common. In this context, the objective of this study was to validate a feed methodology that mimics marasmic malnutrition, examining the nutritional, biochemical, and hematological status in BALB/c mice. Weaned BALB/c mice were or were not fed a Restricted diet (36.26% carbohydrate, 8.79% protein, 4.95% fat, and 7.62 kJ/100 g). Some malnourished mice underwent a refed process with a Control diet (65.93% carbohydrate, 24.18% protein, 9.89% fat, and 15.24 kJ/100 g). The nutritional status of the mice was evaluated through phenotypic markers and hematological and biochemical parameters. Our results showed that the Restricted diet was able to induce mild malnutrition in mice, resulting in mouse weight loss of 12%, which could be reversed after refeeding. Malnourished mice demonstrated slow body growth and low body mass index (BMI) values. Malnourished mice also showed physical and behavioral changes, a reduction of 47.5% in leukocyte counts and a 2-fold increase in cholesterol levels. In conclusion, our feeding protocol was able to generate mild malnutrition and cause changes in the nutritional status of mice that could be similar to those observed in marasmic malnutrition.
Highlights
Malnutrition is a nutritional deficiency caused by inadequate intake of macronutrients and micronutrients essential for growth and physical and mental development [1,2,3,4]
Weight loss was observed until the 6th day, and this low weight remained until the end of the experiment in malnourished mice
Malnutrition is a serious public health problem that mainly affects people living in precarious conditions
Summary
Malnutrition is a nutritional deficiency caused by inadequate intake of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) essential for growth and physical and mental development [1,2,3,4]. Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is the most prevalent type of malnutrition in the world and is divided into three forms: kwashiorkor, marasmus, and an intermediate stage named marasmic-kwashiorkor. This form presents a set of clinical features that vary according to the degree of nutritional deficiency. The etiology of these malnutrition forms is not entirely clear [6,7,8]. It commonly describes kwashiorkor as edematous malnutrition that generates clinical features such as hair changes, skin lesions, hepatic abnormalities
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