title: Dehydroepiandrosterone induces apoptosis of thymocyte through Fas/Fas-L pathway.
abstract: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), the most plentiful steroid hormone, has been convincingly known to have many biological effects and diverse influence in various types of cells, tissues and organs. The effects of DHEA on the humoral and cellular immune response are widely tested, but it is unclear whether DHEA itself serves as an activator of immune function and the literature pertaining to the in vitro effects of DHEA remains contested. In the present paper, the effects of DHEA on the thymocytes in vitro were studied. The results showed that DHEA could enhance the expression of Fas and Fas-L and induce thymocyte apoptosis. This suggests that dehydroepiandrosterone may induce the apoptosis of thymocyte through Fas/Fas-L pathway.
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Reproductive Biology Lab, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, PR China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Genhong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Linsong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yayi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505658:Fasl protein, mouse; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019014:fas Receptor; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone