Abstract
It is well known that immunological functions are influenced by psychological stresses. Psychological stresses influence also usual behaviors such as eating and sleep. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effect of diet or sleep on the immunological functions. In this paper, we analysed the effects of starvation or sleep deprivation on immunological functions using animal models. 1) The body weight and the weights of thymus, spleen or liver were significantly losed, when DBA/2 mice were starved. The degree of weight loss was correlated with the duration of starvation. However, the weight of adrenal gland was not changed by starvation within 4 days. 2) The proportion of B lymphocyte in the spleen was decreased by starvation. On the contrary, the proportion of T lymphocyte was increased. 3) In vitro IL-2 production, mixed lymphocyte reaction and the response to PHA were rather enhanced by 2 or 3 days of starvation. 4) Natural killer cell activity was suppressed by more than 1 day of starvation. 5) In Fisher rats which were REM-sleep deprived for 3 days, organ weights of spleen, liver and thymus were smaller, and that of adrenal was larger than in control group. 6) There were no differences in responses to Con A and NK activity between the REM-de-prived group and the control group. However, the REM-deprived group showed lower response to PHA and phagocytic activity of granulocyte than the control group. These results indicated that immune function was influenced by starvation or sleep deprivation. It depends on the period , degree and method of stressors. Several T cell functions were enhanced by short-period of starvation. Sleep deprivation for 3 days suppressed several immune functions.
