Abstract
The effect of intravenous administration of vitamin C (15 mg per day, corresponding to 40〜50 g for human adults) upon the immune response was investigated in mice. In vivo antibody production to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) was not influenced. Similarly, in vitro immunoglobulin production and DNA synthetic response of spleen cells to pokeweed mitogen were hardly affected by vitamin C administration. On the other hand, delayed-type hypersensitivity to SRBC was strongly suppressed by vitamin C intake. Cell transfer experiments revealed that only the expression phase but not the induction phase of delayed hypersensitivity was suppressed.
