title: Hemispheric asymmetry in the effects of substantia nigra lesioning on lymphocyte reactivity in mice.
abstract: Asymmetry in brain modulation of the immune system has previously been demonstrated at the neocortex level. In these experiments, the possibility of subcortical immunomodulation was investigated. In mice the substantia nigra was lesioned using the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine. Four and six weeks after left or right lesions of the substantia nigra, spleen lymphocyte mitogenesis was slightly depressed or enhanced respectively as compared to sham operated controls. Differences appeared when comparing left and right lesioned groups. However, natural killer cell activity was unaffected by unilateral lesions of the substantia nigra. These results show that asymmetrical brain modulation may occur at the sub-cortical level and suggest that central dopamine is involved in neuroimmunomodulation.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U.259--Université de Bordeaux II, France.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Neveu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Deleplanque
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vitiello
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rouge-Pont
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Le Moal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology*; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens; D016627:Oxidopamine