Administration of DTC gives evidence of a role of the thymus in the control and regulation of factors inducing thymocyte differentiation in the mouse.
Nude (B6) mice, grafted with a syngeneic thymus, are treated 3 wk later with 25 mg/kg of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC). Serum sampled 24 h afterwards is heated at 56 degrees C for 45 min and tested over a large range of doses for its in vitro capacity to induce Thy-1+ cells in nu/nu spleen cells. Data are compared with the effects of DTC on ungrafted nude mice, and on B6 and C3 mice. Each group comprised 5 to 6 animals. The thymus of B6 mouse abrogates the action of DTC to induce in thymus-less mice two serum factors, active at different concentrations. The serum of DTC-treated C3 mice has an increased T-cell recruiting activity in contrast with the serum of DTC-treated B6 mice. The findings are interpreted as evidencing the extra-thymic origin of one active factor, and a role for the thymus to regulate the synthesis of both factors.
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004050:Ditiocarb / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D013859:Thiocarbamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation
D013859:Thiocarbamates; D004050:Ditiocarb; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating