Altered T-lymphocyte response following aggressive encounters in mice.
Intermale aggression is a natural form of psychosocial stress that can alter a variety of physiological functions, including immune function. In Experiment 1, daily fighting between pairs of previously isolated male mice differentially altered immunological measures of T-cell responsiveness in dominant and submissive animals. Submissive mice had lower T-cell proliferation and IL-2 production, when compared to dominant, nonfought, or witness mice. Since the fighting behavior often results in wounding of the submissive animal, Experiment 2 used a relatively nonaggressive test to determine whether the immunological differences between dominant and submissive mice were due to wounding or due to the psychosocial state of dominance. Dominant mice had elevated T-cell proliferation and IL-2 production when compared to the other treatment groups. Therefore, it appears that in dominant/submissive pairs of mice a severe physical stress, such as intense fighting, influences the immune system in a different manner than psychological or mild aggressive encounters.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY 14642.
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Hardy
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Quay
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Livnat
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Ader
D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000378:Agonistic Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004291:Dominance-Subordination; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D007376:Interleukin-2