Effect of Early Postnatal Under- and Overnutrition on the Development of IgA Plasma Cells in Mouse Gut

Development of gut IgA plasma cells was studied in early postnatal under- and overnutrition. Female mice were allowed to suckle in litters of 4, 9 or 20 pups to produce a state of obesity (litter of 4) or protein-energy malnutrition (litters of 20). Litters of nine were considered as control groups. Overfeeding during the suckling period did not change the development and the number of IgA plasma cells of the small intestine. By contrast, the weanling protein-energy malnourished mice had shorter intestines, reduced weight of gut mucosal, muscular and serosal layers and reduced length of villi. However, protein-energy malnutrition, when limited to the suckling period, had no marked effect on the development of IgA plasma cells. A diminished number of these cells was observed only when a more severe and prolonged state of malnutrition was induced.