Influence of the pituitary gland on the immune response in young rats.
The response of hypophysectomized (HYPOX) and sham-operated (S-HYPOX) female and male Wistar young rats (8 weeks old) to antigenic stimulation was compared. Humoral antigenic responses against hemocyanin were measured by ELISA. [3H]thymidine incorporation into cultured spleen cells was used to determine proliferative response to concanavalin A (ConA) or antigenic stimulation. Anti-hemocyanin serum titers in the HYPOX animals was about half of that observed in control S-HYPOX rats. Similarly, the cellular proliferative response was significantly decreased in HYPOX animals when compared to S-HYPOX rats; the blastogenic response to hemocyanin in UC rats (which did not receive the antigen injection) was close to zero. S-HYPOX control rats responded to direct ConA stimulation as UC controls. Body weight and the weight of pituitary target organs (adrenal, thyroid, ovary and testes) was about 1/4 of that of controls. Hypophysectomy also resulted in a striking reduction in spleen weight. These results indicate that the pituitary gland is involved in cellular and humoral immune regulation in young rats.
Cruz
M
M
CUIB, Universidad de Colima, Col.
Isibasi
A
A
de Alvarez-Buylla
E R
ER
Alvarez-Buylla
R
R
D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000494:pharmacology; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D006433:Hemocyanins