Abstract
Previous findings indicate that severe protein deficiency at weaning, even after casein refeeding (R21), alters the seeding of BALT lamina propria (LP) with IgA+ B-lymphocytes and CD5+ T-lymphocytes. Aim of the present study was to determine which T-lymphocyte subsets remain altered in refed (R21) rats compared to age-matched rats receiving commercial diet (C). The number of CD4+, CD8a/a+ and a/βTCR T-lymphocytes were significantly decreased in the BALTLPof R21 rats; the CD8a/a+ T-lymphocyte subpopulation was also significantly decreased in the intraepithelium (IE). The ?/dTCR T-lymphocytes found in the BALT LP and in the IE were significantly increased in R21 rats compared to C fed rats. In summary: The decreased number of CD4+ T-lymphocytes in the LP and CD8a/a+ T-lymphocytes in LP and IE tissues may indicate alterations in some effector functions in refed protein deficient rats. The finding of an increase in the number of ?/d+ T-lym-phocytes in R21 rats, altering the relationship of T-lymphocytes expressing ?/d and a/β TCR, indicates an impairment in BALT lymphocyte differentiation.