Nerve growth factor stimulates proliferation, adhesion and thymopoietic cytokine expression in mouse thymic epithelial cells in vitro.
Thymic epithelial cells, which constitute a major component of the thymic microenvironment, provide a crucial signal for intrathymic T cell development and selection. Neuroimmune networks in the thymic microenvironment are thought to be involved in the regulation of T cell development. NGF is increasingly recognized as a potent immunomodulator, promoting "cross-talk" between various types of immune system cells. The present study clearly shows that NGF stimulates mouse thymic epithelial cell activities in vitro including cell proliferation, thymocyte adhesion to thymic epithelial cells, and the expression of cell adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, and thymopoietic factors including IL-7, GM-CSF, SDF-1, TARC and TECK. Thus, our data are of considerable clinical importance showing that trophic NGF activity could be used to enhance the thymus regeneration and develop methods to improve host immunity when the immune function is depressed due to thymic involution.
Lee
Hee-Woo
HW
Department of Anatomy, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Seo-Gu, Busan, South Korea.
Na
Yong-Jin
YJ
Jung
Pil-Ku
PK
Kim
Mi-Na
MN
Kim
Sung-Min
SM
Chung
Joo-Seop
JS
Kim
Bong-Seon
BS
Kim
Jae-Bong
JB
Moon
Jeon-Ok
JO
Yoon
Sik
S
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D054414:Chemokine CCL17 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
C499538:Ccl17 protein, mouse; D054414:Chemokine CCL17; D016207:Cytokines; C090509:Icam1 protein, mouse; D015851:Interleukin-7; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor