Effect of restraint stress on the population of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes in mice.
The impact of restraint stress on the intestinal immune system, particularly on intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (i-IEL), has not been described in detail. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of restraint stress, including those produced by increases in glucocorticoids and catecholamines, on the population of i-IEL. Mice were exposed to 1 or 4h restraint stress for 4 day, and the number of IEL in the mucosa of the proximal small intestine was determined by immunohistochemistry. The effects of restraint were also analyzed in mice submitted to different procedures: adrenalectomy, chemical sympathectomy, and treatment with a glucocorticoid antagonist (RU486), dexamethasone, and epinephrine. The main findings were that: (1) chronic restraint-stress reduced the i-IEl population in the small intestine; (2) adrenalectomy, treatment with RU-486 and chemical sympathectomy decreased the number of gammadelta, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in non-stressed groups; (3) dexamethasone reduced the number of gammadelta and CD8+ T cells, and (4) epinephrine reduced the number of gammadelta, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. These results demonstrated that restraint stress decreased the number of i-IEL in the proximal small intestine of mice, mainly by the combined action of higher concentrations of catecholamines and glucocorticoids, and that lower concentrations of glucocorticoids and catecholamines in unstressed mice preserved the population of i-IEL.
Jarillo-Luna
Adriana
A
Departamento de Morfología, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón, CP. 11340 México, DF, Mexico.
Rivera-Aguilar
Víctor
V
Martìnez-Carrillo
Beatriz Elina
BE
Barbosa-Cabrera
Elizabeth
E
Garfias
Humberto Reyna
HR
Campos-Rodríguez
Rafael
R
D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004386:Duodenum / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology*; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000494:pharmacology
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D013566:Sympathomimetics; D015735:Mifepristone; D003907:Dexamethasone; D009638:Norepinephrine