title: Hormonal control of T-cell development in health and disease.
abstract: The physiology of the thymus, the primary lymphoid organ in which T cells are generated, is controlled by hormones. Data from animal models indicate that several peptide and nonpeptide hormones act pleiotropically within the thymus to modulate the proliferation, differentiation, migration and death by apoptosis of developing thymocytes. For example, growth hormone and prolactin can enhance thymocyte proliferation and migration, whereas glucocorticoids lead to the apoptosis of these developing cells. The thymus undergoes progressive age-dependent atrophy with a loss of cells being generated and exported, therefore, hormone-based therapies are being developed as an alternative strategy to rejuvenate the organ, as well as to augment thymocyte proliferation and the export of mature T cells to peripheral lymphoid organs. Some hormones (such as growth hormone and progonadoliberin-1) are also being used as therapeutic agents to treat immunodeficiency disorders associated with thymic atrophy, such as HIV infection. In this Review, we discuss the accumulating data that shows the thymus gland is under complex and multifaceted hormonal control that affects the process of T-cell development in health and disease.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Avenue Brasil 4365, 21045-900, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Savino
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Avenue Brasil 4365, 21045-900, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniella Arêas
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Mendes-da-Cruz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Avenue Brasil 4365, 21045-900, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ailin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lepletier
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Necker, CNRS UMR 8147, Université Paris Descartes, 75015 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Mireille
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dardenne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000276:immunology*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D060168:Thymocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D011498:Protein Precursors; C050866:progonadoliberin I; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone