title: The effect of dichloroacetate on male rat thymus and on thymocyte cell cycle.
abstract: The study aim was to investigate the effect of dichloroacetate (DCA) on thymus and the thymocyte cycle in rats. Wistar male gonad-intact and castrated rats (4-5 weeks) were investigated in the following groups: (1) control; (2) treated with DCA; and (3) treated with the DCA and sodium valproate (NaVP) combination. Rats were treated for 4 weeks with DCA 200 mg/kg/day alone and 300 mg/kg/day of NaVP plus 200 mg/kg/day of DCA (every second week, beginning with NaVP). After the experiment, the thymus was weighted, and the thymus lobe was taken for thymocyte flow cytometry. In gonad-intact rats, the thymus weight of the control was higher than in rats treated with DCA (P <0.001) or with the NaVP-DCA combination (P <0.04); a comparison of thymus weight between DCA- and NaVP-DCA-treated groups revealed a higher thymus weight loss in the DCA-treated group (P <0.03). Flow cytometry shows that DCA treatment increased the percentage of cells in the G2-M phase (P <0.03) and reduced in G1-G0(P <0.02). The DCA treatment effect was determined only in gonad-intact but not in castrated rats. The authors discuss the possible DCA and NaVP interaction mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Jurate
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stanevičiūtė
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Daiva
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Urbonienė
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Angelija
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valančiūtė
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Ingrida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Balnytė
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Astra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitkauskienė
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Non-Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Brigita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grigalevičienė
authors.affiliation: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Academy, Kaunas, Lithuania dstakisaitis@yahoo.com.|Laboratory of Cancer Epidemiology, National Cancer Institute, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Donatas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stakišaitis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D003999:Dichloroacetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060168:Thymocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D003999:Dichloroacetic Acid
keywords: dichloroacetate; rats; sodium valproate; thymocyte; thymus