title: Expression of atrial natriuretic peptide in thymic macrophages after dexamethasone treatment of rats.
abstract: The rat thymus represents a site of synthesis of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP); the immunosuppressor dexamethasone strikingly increases ANP-expression in this immune organ. The presented data suggest that this increase can be attributed to macrophages. By means of immunohistochemistry and Northern blot analysis these immune cells were found to express ANP-immunoreactivity as well as mRNA coding for ANP. In contrast, macrophages of control thymi displayed only weak ANP-immunoreactivity. Thus, ANP appears to be a constituent of rat thymic macrophages, and its synthesis in the thymus is strongly elevated by acute exposure of the animals to glucocorticoids.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmakologie, Toxikologie und Pharmazie, Universität München, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vollmar
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Colbatzky
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schulz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003907:Dexamethasone; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor