title: Pathogenesis of some neurological immune ultrastructural and morphometrical observations on rat thymus.
abstract: Numerous studies on neuro-immuno-modulation indicate that the thymus is involved in many neurological diseases, including experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Twenty Lewis rats were induced for EAE. At X, XII, XX and XXX days post-inoculation the animals were killed, and the thymus was recovered and harvested. Specimens of thymus were submitted to morphological light microscopy analysis (1% toluidine blue) and ultra-structural analysis (transmission electron microscopy). Significant morphometric data were collected by examining the images quantitatively and by statistically analysing the values. Our results show that the microenvironment of the thymus is severally involved in acute EAE. Thymocytes and reticular epithelial cells show many changes which are closely related to the pathogenesis of EAE. In particular we observed: (1) inside the cell an increase in intra-cytoplasmic vacuoles, and changes in the thickness of the nuclear membrane, mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, cellular inter-digitations and cellular electron-density; (2) outside the cell an increase in pericellular translucent halo, intercellular spaces, intercellular contacts and apoptotic and necrotic figures. The evidence of a thymic role in MS may suggest the intriguing therapeutic concept of thymectomy in the management of this neurological disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. cavalloti@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cavallotti
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: D'Andrea
authors.forename: Francesco Saverio
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Pastore
authors.forename: Francesca Maria Tranquilli
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Leali
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cavallotti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000472:pathogenicity; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013116:Spinal Cord; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005620:Freund's Adjuvant