Spleen Weight, Liver Weight And Levels Of Circulating Immune Complexes In Vitamin Deficient Mice Infected With <i>Plasmodium berghei</i>

Abstract

Three groups of mice viz: well fed mice, vitamin deficient mice and vitamin deficient Plasmodium berghei infected mice were studied. In these groups of mice, the weights of the liver and spleen were determined using a weighing balance and the levels of circulating immune complexes (CICS) measured spectrophotometrically using polyethylene glycol precipitation method. The mean spleen weight, liver weight and CICs of vitamin deficient mice or vitamin deficient P. berghei infected mice were reduced compared with those of well-fed mice. However, the reduction in spleen weight was significant in vitamin deficient mice from day 15-post vitamin deficiency compared with well-fed mice. Also, the reduction in liver weight was significant in vitamin deficient mice at day 5- and day 10-post vitamin deficiency compared with well-fed mice while the reduction in liver weight was significant in vitamin deficient P. berghei infected mice at day 5-, day 10-, day 15- and day 20- post P. berghei infection compared with well-fed mice. The reductions in the levels of CICs were significant in both vitamin deficient mice and vitamin deficient P. berghei infected mice compared with well-fed mice from day 5-post P. berghei infection or day 5-post vitamin deficiency. The observed decreased CICs in vitamin deficient mice accompanied by reduction in liver and spleen weights showed that vitamin is essential in mounting effective immune response against malaria.

Afr. J. Clin. Exper. Microbiol. 2005; 6(2): 95-99