Circulating Antibodies in Vitamin-Deficiency States. Pantothenic Acid and Pyridoxine Deficiencies.

Summary1. Rats immunized while receiving a complete diet maintained high serum antibody titers during a protracted period of time in which either pantothenic acid or pyridoxine was removed from the diet. 2. Subcutaneous administration of aqueous adrenal cortical extract either immediately following each antigen injection or 3 weeks after immunization was ineffective in increasing the serum antibody titers of either pantothenic acid-deficient rats or their inanition controls. 3. Administration of massive doses of pantothenic acid or pyridoxine to rats immunized while in a corresponding vitamin deficiency state produced only a very gradual increase in serum antibody titers. Relatively normal levels were reached approximately two months after vitamin repletion. 4. These findings suggest that pantothenic acid and pyridoxine function in the processes of antibody synthesis.