Identification of the mononuclear cell infiltrate in the superior cervical ganglion of athymic nude and euthymic rats after guanethidine-induced sympathectomy.
Guanethidine sulphate 40 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 14 days induced chromatolysis and nerve cell death in the superior cervical ganglia of athymic nude (rnu/rnu) LEW/Mol rats and their euthymic (+/rnu) LEW/Mol heterozygous littermates. Histologically the sympathetic ganglia were dominated by an infiltration of small inflammatory cells. By means of monoclonal antibodies these cells were identified. The number of B-lymphocytes increased following guanethidine in both athymic and euthymic rats. The number of T-lymphocytes increased to a great extent in euthymic rats, but was virtually missing in athymic rats. The number of NK-cells and monocytes/macrophages increased in both athymic and euthymic rats. The conclusion is, that guanethidine exerts a direct effect on sympathetic ganglion cells followed by a thymus-independent immune response.
Thygesen
P
P
Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Copenhagen.
Hougen
H P
HP
Christensen
H B
HB
Rygaard
J
J
Svendsen
O
O
Juul
P
P
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002452:Cell Count; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006145:Guanethidine; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains / Q000276:immunology*; D011923:Rats, Nude / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006145:Guanethidine