Korean J Anat.  2009 Jun;42(2):105-114.

Expression of the p75NTR Neurotrophin Receptor in the Thymic Medullary Epithelial Cells and Interdigitating Dendritic Cells during Rat Thymus Regeneration Following Acute Thymic Involution

• Shim NR
• Kim HJ
• Oh SO
• Baek SY
• Kim BS
• Kim JB
• Yoon S

Abstract

The existence of a functional link between the nervous and immune systems has been well established. The present study was to characterize the expression of p75NTR during thymus regeneration from acute involution induced by cyclophosphamide in the rat. Immunohistochemical and double immunofluorescence analyses demonstrated that expression of the p75NTR was decreased in the thymic medullary epithelial cells and interdigitating dendritic cells during thymus regeneration. The presence of p75NTR protein in extracts from the control and regenerating rat thymus was confirmed by western blot. Furthermore, RT-PCR analysis supported these results by demonstrating that thymic extracts contain p75NTR mRNA at lower levels during thymus regeneration. Thus, our results suggest that the p75NTR located on the thymic medullary epithelial cells and interdigitating dendritic cells could play a role in the development of new T cells to replace the thymocytes damaged during thymus regeneration

Keyword

p75NTR; Thymic medullary epithelial cells; Interdigitating dendritic cells; Thymus regeneration; Neuroimmune interaction

MeSH Terms

Aluminum Hydroxide
Animals
Blotting, Western
Carbonates
Cyclophosphamide
Dendritic Cells
Epithelial Cells
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Immune System
Rats
Regeneration
RNA, Messenger
T-Lymphocytes
Thymocytes
Thymus Gland
Aluminum Hydroxide
Carbonates
Cyclophosphamide
RNA, Messenger