抄録
We investigated the effects of acute starvation on the function of immune system.1) When mice were starved for 2 days, the body weight and the weight of thymus, liver or spleen were significantly losed and the latter was more decreased than the former. The loss of weight was correlated with the duration of starvation.2) Phagocytic activity of macrophage was enhanced by 2 or 3 days of starvation, but suppressed strongly by more than 4 days of starvation.3) The response to T cell mitogen was enhanced by 2 days of starvation, but suppressed significantly by more than 3 days of starvation. However, the response to B cell mitogen was rather enhanced by less then 5 days of starvation.4) The immune reactions of delayed hypersensitivity, cytotoxicity and antibody production were rather enhanced by 2 days of starvation. However, delayed hypersensitivity was suppressed by more than 3 days of starvation. Cytotoxicity and antibody production were suppressed by more than 4 days of starvation. On the other hand, cytotoxicity and antibody production were recovered to the degree of control 7 days after end of starvation, but delayed hypersensitivity was consistently suppressed.These results indicated that the function of immune system was enhanced by short-period of starvation, but was suppressed by long-period of starvation.
