title: Immune system of the spontaneously hypertensive rat: II. Morphology and function.
abstract: The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is a stress-sensitive animal which exhibits moderate immune dysfunction that has been implicated in the onset of hypertension. In this study, we examined the morphology of SHR thymus and spleen and further characterized the immune deficiency using Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Fisher 344 (F-344) rats for comparison. The adult SHR thymus does not display the increase in medullary volume typically noted with aging and the volume density of the marginal zone is decreased in the spleen. In vivo tritiated-thymidine incorporation is also decreased in the spleen of unstimulated SHR. In mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR), the proliferative response of SHR splenocytes is significantly decreased relative to controls, WKY and F-344. Addition of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2), or indomethacin to the MLR cultures does not increase proliferation. The proliferative response to T cell receptor monoclonal antibody (mAb-TCR) or interleukin-2 (IL-2) are similarly impaired in the SHR. The depressed proliferative T cell response is reversed by prolactin. It is suggested that the SHR is a valuable model for the study of immune deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160-7400.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Purcell
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Gattone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D007107:Immune System / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D013936:Thymidine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D013936:Thymidine