Chicken peripheral blood CD3+CD4-CD8- cells are regulated by endocrine and nerve systems.
The existence of CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) T cells in thymus and spleen has already been known. However, because of the presence of large amounts of thrombocytes in peripheral blood (PB), the proportion of CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) T cells in PB has yet to be investigated. Therefore, the proportion of peripheral T cell-subsets was investigated in 6-week-old chickens. The percentage of CD3(+) cells, CD4(+) cells, CD8 alpha(+) cells, CD8 beta(+), and CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) cells was 76%, 41%, 14%, 5%, and 15%, respectively. The proportion of CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) cells in PB increased during egg-laying periods and in chickens treated with an analog of estrogen, while it decreased with age and in response to restraint stress. All of the CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) cells expressed TCR1, and did not have NK activity. CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) cells represent about 60% of peripheral TCR1(+) cells. These findings indicate that the proportion of CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) cells is regulated by the endocrine and nerve systems.
Kushima
Kiyoshi
K
Laboratory of Immunobiology, Department of Molecular and Applied Bioscience, Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.
Yoshida
Kayo
K
Fujita
Masanori
M
Shigeta
Akiko
A
Horiuchi
Hiroyuki
H
Matsuda
Haruo
H
Furusawa
Shuichi
S
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects*
D004967:Estrogens