title: Effects of 6-hydroxydopamine upon primary and secondary thymus dependent immune responses.
abstract: Adult male mice were treated with various doses of 6-hydroxydopamine in order to assess the effects of this drug upon thymic dependent immunity. A consistent decrease in primary antibody titers to sheep erythrocytes was observed following treatment with this drug. Serum levels of thymosin alpha 1 were increased by day three after 6-OHDA with a return to normal by day five. Thymocyte terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase changes were biphasic with an initial decrease after 6-OHDA followed by an increase. Changes in mitogen responsiveness were observed but were not consistently reproducible. Involvement of both catecholamines and corticosteroids in bringing about these observed changes was discussed.
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D006892:Hydroxydopamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D016627:Oxidopamine; D051381:Rats; D013154:Spleen / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008934:Mitogens; D013947:Thymosin; D016627:Oxidopamine; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase; D000077596:Thymalfasin