Memory T Cells are More Protective Against Tumors in Mice Receiving Less Food

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Original Article by American Laboratory Aug. 28, 2019

Mice undergoing dietary restriction were better protected against tumors and bacterial infections than those with unrestricted diets, found a new study.

Researchers from the NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) previously observed that fat tissue harbors memory T cells in mice. They investigated whether this phenomenon helped preserve immune memory when calorie intake was reduced. To investigate, they restricted the diet of mice previously given full access to food. While receiving less food, mice had fewer memory T cells in their lymphoid tissues, where they normally linger, and more of the T cells in bone marrow that became enriched with fat tissue.

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The team then evaluated how well memory T cells performed when mice ate less. While eating freely, mice were infected with the bacterium Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. After the mice developed immunological memory, researchers restricted the diets of some of the mice for up to four weeks before again exposing all the mice to Y. pseudotuberculosis. Mice with restricted diets had more robust memory T cell responses and were better protected from illness. The researchers repeated this experiment using a vaccine that trains immune cells to fight melanomas and found that memory T cells were more protective against tumors in mice receiving less food.

Though this phenomenon has yet to be studied in humans, the findings suggest how the immune system may have evolved to help mammals survive periods of limited food availability while keeping their immunity intact.

More Types Of  Instruments Used For This Research

This article has been republished from the following article. Note: material may have been added or omitted for length and relevance.  For additional further information, please contact the American Laboratory.

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