title: Differential effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on murine lymphopoiesis and myelopoiesis.
abstract: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) inhibits murine lymphopoiesis, especially after sublethal irradiation, without affecting mature lymphocyte function. We demonstrate here that dietary DHEA differentially affected myelopoiesis and lymphopoiesis in sublethally irradiated mice. Erythropoietic progenitor cell and stem cell function was not affected by DHEA although the magnitude of granulopoiesis was slightly reduced. Regeneration of marrow B220+ B cells, natural killer (NK) function, and thymus repopulation were significantly delayed in DHEA-fed mice. Interleukin 2 (IL-2) failed to restore NK activity of DHEA-fed mice to normal levels. Marrow from DHEA-fed mice contained competent thymocyte progenitors capable of repopulating thymi of irradiated hosts fed a control diet but not those fed the DHEA diet. Thus DHEA inhibits lymphopoiesis while sparing myelopoiesis, affecting the growth and maturation of T, B, and NK cells by a mechanism other than the inhibition of IL-2 production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Risdon
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007377:Interleukin-3; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone