title: [Role of chorionic gonadotropin in the differentiation of thymocytes].
abstract: The effects of chorionic gonadotropin, a basic hormone of pregnancy, on the differentiation of the human thymocytes were studied. The hormone does not affect the phenotype as determined by expression of the membrane molecules CD3, CD4, CD8 and functional activity of intrathymic pre-T-lymphocytes, but stimulates production of autocrine growth factors by these cells. Cultivation of cortical thymocytes in the presence of chorionic gonadotropin induces their phenotypic maturation with predominant development of CD4+ CD8- cells. In addition, at a high physiological dose (100 MU/ml) the hormone induces functional maturation of the cortical thymocytes. Thus, the data obtained allow us to consider this hormone as a factor regulating antigen-independent differentiation of T-lymphocytes during pregnancy and determining development of the immune system in embryogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Perm, Russia.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kuklina
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Shirshev
authors.forename: N I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Sharova
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Iarilin
mesh_terms: D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin
vernacular_title: Rol' khorionicheskogo gonadotropina v differentsirovke timotsitov.