Effects of vitamin A on immunological deficiencies in rats with obstructive jaundice

Objective: To investigate the ability of an immunostimulant, vitamin A, to reverse dysfunction of the mononuclear phagocyte system and impaired peritoneal neutrophil chemotaxis in rats with obstructive jaundice. Design: Open laboratory study. Setting: Medical School, Turkey. Material: 60 male Wistar-Albino rats. Interventions. Two different experimental studies with 30 rats each were performed. Ten of the 20 rats in which the common bile duct wase ligated and divided, were given vitamin A (vitamin A group) and the other 10 were given saline (saline group). Ten rats which underwent laparotomy with mobilisation of the common bile duct (sham group) were given saline. Rats in the vitamin A group were given 200 IU/g/day vitamin A and other groups of rats had an equal volume of saline intraperitoneally for 20 days. Main outcome measures: Function of the mononuclear phagocytic system was studied by the use of Tc-99m sulphur colloid uptake, peritoneal neutrophil chemotaxis was measured by the Boyden chamber method, and liver function tests were studied 21 days after operation. Results: Hepatic uptake of Tc-99m sulphur colloid decreased, and lung uptake increased in the saline group compared with the sham and vitamin A groups (p < 0.05). Neutrophil chemotaxis was reduced in the saline and vitamin A groups compared with the sham group (p < 0.05). Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities and unconjugated bilirubin concentrations in the saline group were higher than in the vitamin A and sham groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Vitamin A stimulates mononuclear phagocytic function in jaundiced rats. It also improves liver function and may enhance peritoneal neutrophil chemotaxis.