HISTOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY

Cellular and Molecular Biology

 

Protein-energy malnutrition alters histological and ultrastructural characteristics of the bone marrow and decreases haematopoiesis in adult mice

J.G. Xavier1, M.E. Favero2, M.A.R. Vinolo3, M.M. Rogero4, M.L.Z. Dagli5, V.E. Arana-Chavez6, R. Borojevic7 and P. Borelli3

1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Methodist University of Sao Paulo, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil, 2 Haematology Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, University of State of Londrina, Brazil, 3Experimental Haematology Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, 4Biochemistry of Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, 5Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, 6Laboratory of Mineralized Tissue Biology, Department of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, 7Institute of Biomedical Sciences and Program of Applied Cellular Biology Medicine, Hospital Universitario Clementino Fraga Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Offprint requests to: Primavera Borelli, Experimental Haematology Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580 - B17, CEP 05508-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brasil. e-mail: borelli@usp.br


Summary. Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) decreases resistance to infection by impairing a number of physiological processes, including haematopoiesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microanatomical aspects of bone marrow (BM) in mice that were subjected to PEM, in particular, with respect to the components of the local extracellular matrix and the proliferative activity of haematopoietic cells. For this, histological, histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural techniques were used. Two-month old male Swiss mice were fed with a low-protein diet containing 4% protein and control mice fed a 20% protein diet. When the experimental group had attained a 25% loss of their original body weight, we collected the different biological samples. Malnourished mice had presented severe BM atrophy as well as a reduction in proliferating cell nuclear antigen and gelatinous degeneration. The malnourished mice had more fibronectin accretion in paratrabecular and endosteal regions and more laminin deposition in perisinusal sites than controls. Endosteal cell activation and hyperplasia were found, suggesting their participation in the process. Additionally, we have observed a decrease in the capacity of malnourished haematopoietic stroma to support the growth of haematopoietic stem cells (CD34+) in vitro. These findings point to a structural impairment of the haematopoietic microenvironments in mice with PEM, possibly hampering the interactions between cells and cellular signalling. Histol Histopathol 22, 651-660 (2007)

Key words: Gelationous degeneration, Protein-energy malnutrition, Extracellular matrix, Bone marrow, Haematopoiesis, Microenvironment

DOI: 10.14670/HH-22.651