ISSN:
0003-276X
Keywords:
Thymus
;
Spleen
;
Spontaneously hypertensive rat
;
Interleukin 2
;
T Lymphocyte
;
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is a stress-sensitive animal which exhibits moderate immune dysfunction that has been implicated in the onset of hypertension. In this study, we examined the morphology of SHR thymus and spleen and further characterized the immune deficiency using Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Fisher 344 (F-344) rats for comparison. The adult SHR thymus does not display the increase in medullary volume typically noted with aging and the volume density of the marginal zone is decreased in the spleen. In vivo tritiated-thymidine incorporation is also decreased in the spleen of unstimulated SHR. In mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR), the proliferative response of SHR splenocytes is significantly decreased relative to controls, WKY and F-344. Addition of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2), or indomethacin to the MLR cultures does not increase proliferation. The proliferative response to T cell receptor monoclonal antibody (mAb-TCR) or interleukin-2 (IL-2) are similarly impaired in the SHR. The depressed proliferative T cell response is reversed by prolactin. It is suggested that the SHR is a valuable model for the study of immune deficiency. © 1993 Wiley-Liss Inc.
Additional Material:
8 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ar.1092370211
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