Figure 1

Body weights, thymus and pancreas weights and apoptosis in thymus and spleen in rats fed control (C), medium Maillard (MM)- and high Maillard (HM)-containing diets from weaning and start of experiment (day 0) to day 28. (a) Body weight (g) is presented as means ± SD, n = 14–14 (0–7 days) and 10–11 (14–28 days). (b,c) Pancreas and (d,e) thymus weights (mg) after 1 week (1w) and 4 weeks (4w). Data is in (b–d) presented as median (interquartile range) and in (e) as means ± SD; (b and d) n = 4, (c,e) n = 10–11. (f,g) Htx-E- stained sections of rat thymus after 4 weeks on (f) C diet (C 4w) or (g) HM diet (HM 4w). Increased number of pyknotic/apoptotic lymphocytes (exemplified with arrows) is noted after the HM diet. Scale bar is 50 μm and applies to both (f,g). (h,i) Cell counting revealed increased numbers of apoptotic lymphocytes in both thymic medulla and cortex (h), as well as in periarteriol lymphoid sheats (PALS) in the spleen (i). Data presented as median (interquartile range), n = 4 for rats on diet for 1w and n = 10–11 for 4w. Comparisons between groups were done with Kruskal–Wallis followed by Dunn’s multiple comparison test or one- way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s multiple comparison test; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.