Interleukin 1beta as stimulator of the rat thymus.
The effects of interleukin 1beta administration on the thymus of adult and old rats were studied in order to study the interactions between the nervous and immune systems and to confirm the important role played by catecholaminergic nerve fibres (CNF) in the regulation of thymic functions. Moreover, chemical sympathectomy was performed in a group of rats to study the effects on thymus of the destruction of the majority of CNF. Our results indicate that thymic stimulation (performed by means of interleukin 1beta) induces substantial changes in the fresh weight of the whole thymus, as well as in the thymic microenvironment, thymic nerve fibres, CNF, neuropeptide Y (NPY)-like positive nerve fibres and total amount of both proteins and norepinephrine in rat thymic tissue homogenates. The majority of CNF are destroyed after chemical sympathectomy with 6-OH-Dopamine (DA) and remain unchanged after treatment with interleukin 1beta.
Artico
M
M
Department of Pharmacology of Natural Substances and General Physiology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Cavallotti
C
C
Cameroni
M
M
Cavallotti
D
D
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D007375:Interleukin-1; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D009638:Norepinephrine