Sympathetic nervous system mediates cold stress-induced suppression of natural killer cytotoxicity in rats.
The aim of the present study is to investigate the mechanisms of suppression of splenic natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity caused by cold stress, using 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) as chemical sympathectomy. The NK activity was measured by (51)chromium release assay. Central sympathectomy with intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of 6-OHDA reduced significantly the elevation of plasma corticosterone level, the expression of Fos in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and in locus coeruleus, as well as the suppression of NK activity induced by cold stress at 4 degrees C for 4 h. Peripheral sympathectomy with intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 6-OHDA and blockade of beta-adrenergic receptor with i.p. injection of propranolol also reversed the cold stress-induced suppression of NK cytotoxicity, but without significant effect on Fos expression in brain. The results suggest that the activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis induced by cold stress might be mediated, at least partially, by central noradrenergic system, and that the cold stress-induced suppression of NK cytotoxicity might be mediated by the activation of peripheral sympathetic nerve.
Jiang
Xing-Hong
XH
Laboratory of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou 215007, P.R. China.
Guo
Shi-Yu
SY
Xu
Shuang
S
Yin
Qi-Zhang
QZ
Ohshita
Yusuke
Y
Naitoh
Michiko
M
Horibe
Yuzo
Y
Hisamitsu
Tadashi
T
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000378:metabolism; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology*; D016627:Oxidopamine; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D016627:Oxidopamine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D003345:Corticosterone