Corticosterone 21-acetate in vivo induces acute stress in chicken thymus: cell proliferation, apoptosis and cytokine responses.
In vivo effects of acute stress induced by corticosterone 21-acetate in male Gallus domesticus thymus are studied and the steroid actions are evaluated in terms of cell proliferation, apoptosis and cytokine response in 10- and 21-day-old chickens. Steroid treatment induced thymocyte apoptosis and cell death decreased in the cortical-medullar direction and was more evident in younger animals. 24 h after treatment, the observed effect was reversed. The mitotic activity and thymic cells containing cytokine-like molecules were also affected. Indeed, the acute stress stimulated cytokine immunoreactivity to anti-IL-1alpha, IL-6 and TNF-alpha antibodies both in epithelial cells and interdigitating cells located in medullar and cortical-medullar regions. The increased cytokine expression observed after 12 h was maintained after 24 h. The comparison between 10- and 21-day-old chickens showed a lower number of cells containing cytokine-like molecules in younger specimens. The present findings suggest that cytokines activated by acute stress in vivo could contribute to restoring immunological homeostasis and influence thymic glucocorticoid-mediated functions.
Franchini
A
A
Department of Animal Biology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Marchesini
E
E
Ottaviani
E
E
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D002645:Chickens; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D016207:Cytokines; C029939:corticosterone acetate; D003345:Corticosterone