title: Studies of immunological function in mice with defective androgen action. Distinction between alterations in immune function due to hormonal insensitivity and alterations due to other genetic factors.
abstract: The presence of androgen receptors in thymocytes and the well-described effects of exogenous androgens on thymus size suggest a role for androgenic hormones in thymocyte growth and maturation. Testicular feminization (Tfm/Y) mice which bear a heritable defect in the androgen receptor protein were studied to investigate how androgens might influence immune phenotype and function. These mice were compared to two types of controls; their Tabby/Y normal male littermates and male mice of the C57 Bl/6 strain from which the Tabby and Tfm mice were derived. Thymuses and spleens from Tfm/Y mice were larger than both types of controls. Phenotypic differences in thymocyte and splenocyte subpopulations identified by the T-cell markers CD3, CD4 and CD8 suggested that T-cell maturation was altered in the androgen-resistant animal. However, both Ta/Y and Tfm/Y were found to be high producers of interleukin-4 (IL-4) by both spleen and thymus cells, while cells from the C57 mice produced predominantly IL-2. These findings suggest that some immunological features of the Tfm/Y mouse may be related to its defect in androgen action, but that high levels of IL-4 production are probably related to other genetic changes in the C57 background.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kovacs
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4