The effect of protein restricted diets on the clearance of 125I-labelled polyvinyl pyrrolidone in mice

Ajax mice pair-fed isocaloric diets in which protein was restricted to 4% had impaired overall phagocytosis (K_PVP)—the clearance of ¹²⁵I-labelled polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). This effect was produced and reversed within 3 days and occurred without effect on growth. In other mouse strains when the K_PVP was reduced, α_PVP, perhaps the function of individual macrophages, was increased with protein deprivation. Both these effects showed inter-strain variation.