Immunodeficiency and runting syndrome in rats from congenital pyridoxine deficiency

CONGENITAL pyridoxine deficiency is teratogenic in the rat, producing digital defects, cleft palate, omphalocoele, micrognathia, exencephaly and hypoplasia of the spleen and thymus1. Surviving offspring may develop convulsions2–4, presumably because of a delay in the development of the γ-aminobutyrate shunt in the brain5. Congenital pyridoxine deficiency also causes cleft palate in the mouse6. I have now found that congenital pyridoxine deficiency has an adverse effect on the immunological function of surviving pups.