Effect of physiological and pharmacologically induced thymus involution on the immunoreactivity in C57BL mice.
The effect of physiological and pharmacologically induced thymus involution was studied in 12-week-old female C57BL mice. Thymus involution was estimated by measurement of the thymus weight and the ability of thymocytes to induce a graft-versus-host (GvH) reaction at 48 h after delivery or drug administration in comparison with control (virgin, saline-treated) mice. The thymus weight and immunoreactivity of thymocytes after delivery were reduced in a statistically significant manner by ca. 80 and 75%, respectively. On the other hand, hydrocortisone administration decreased the thymus weight (by ca. 60%), but did not change the ability of thymocytes to induce a GvH reaction. Cyclophosphamide administration significantly reduced both the thymus weight and the reactivity of thymocytes. The present study suggests that the transient thymus involution observed after delivery, connected with a loss of the ability of thymocytes to induce a GvH reaction, cannot be explained merely by elimination of a steroid-sensitive cortical cell population, since the GvH reactivity of thymocytes was preserved in hydrocortisone-treated mice.
Basta-Kaim
A
A
Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków.
Kubera
M
M
Budziszewska
B
B
Roman
A
A
Skowron-Cendrzak
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000637:transplantation; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D006854:Hydrocortisone