title: Terminally differentiated epithelial cells of the thymic medulla and skin express nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit α 3.
abstract: In the thymus, T cell maturation is influenced by cholinergic signaling, and the predominantly expressed receptor is the α3-subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, encoded by the chrna3 gene. We here determined its cellular distribution utilizing an appropriate eGFP-expressing reporter mouse strain. Neither T cells (CD4, CD8) nor mesenchymal cells (desmin-positive) expressed eGFP. In the thymic medulla, eGFP-positive cells either were scattered or, more frequently, formed small clusters resembling Hassall's corpuscles. Immunolabeling revealed that these cells were indeed terminally differentiated epithelial cells expressing keratin 10 (K10) but neither typical cortical (K8, K18) nor medullary keratins (K5, K14). These labeling patterns reflected those in the epidermis of the skin, where overlap of K10 and eGFP expression was seen in the stratum granulosum, whereas underlying basal cells displayed K5-immunoreactivity. A substantial portion of thymic eGFP-positive cells was also immunoreactive to chromogranin A, a peptide previously reported in epidermal keratinocytes in the stratum granulosum. Its fragment catestatin has multiple biological activities, including suppression of proinflammatory cytokine release from macrophages and inhibition of α3β4 nAChR. The present findings suggest that its thymic production and/or release are under cholinergic control involving nAChR containing the α3-subunit.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, German Center for Lung Research, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35385 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Aichurek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soultanova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, German Center for Lung Research, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35385 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexandra R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Panneck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, German Center for Lung Research, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35385 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rafiq
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, German Center for Lung Research, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35385 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kummer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic
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