Effect of timing of food deprivation on host resistance to fungal infection in mice

Abstract

Mice were deprived of food for a period of 72h at varying times relative to the time of infection withParacoccidioides brasiliensis.Host resistance was diminished profoundly when the period of food deprivation was from 48h before to 24h after infection (group B). When food deprivation was initiated immediately after infection (group C), host resistance was reduced less profoundly. When food deprivation was initiated at 24 and 48h post-infection, reductions in host resistance were only moderate or not observed respectively. These results suggest that the earlier in the course of infection starvation occurs, the more profoundly host resistance is impaired. When food deprivation was initiated 72h before infection, finishing at the time of infection (group A), the reduction in host resistance was considerably less profound compared with group B mice, suggesting that refeeding initiated immediately after infection is responsible for rapid restoration of the antifungal resistance in starved mice. Infection-induced responses of corticosterone and interferon-γ were changed according to the timing of food deprivation. Group A mice, similar to non-fasted controls, showed an infection-induced increase in serum corticosterone concentration, while groups B and C did not. Group C mice showed a substantially greater infection-induced increase in serum interferon-γ compared with the other fasted and non-fasted control groups.