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PubMed1981

[New method of thymus transplantation].

A surgical procedure for correction of T-system immunity deficiency in primary immunodeficient states and malignant neoplasms in children is described. To ensure a high physiological activity of the transplant, to prevent anti-recipient reaction and to maintain laminar blood flow in the transplant, thymus glands were obtained from fetuses and separated from breast bone. Blood channel reconstruction was performed before the gland transplant was washed and connected to the patient's blood flow. Thymus transplantation was carried out in 25 cases and neither acute rejection nor anti-recipient reaction were observed. Immune response indices returned to normal within 6-7 months.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The mechanism of the immunomodulating action of Béres Drops Plus].

Béres Drops Plus were found to raise the number of E-RFCs, being formed by lymphocytes of peripheral blood of subjects presenting with low levels of T-cells, and to increase the production of substances possessing thymosine-like activity (STLA) by lymphocytes and epithelial cells of the murine thymus gland. In vitro the drug preparation in question enhances endocrine function of thymus in normal animals and the organism's capacity to induce STLA synthesis following thymectomy. These findings are useful in devising rational schemes of rehabilitation of immune system with the drug preparation Béres Drops Plus in secondary immunodeficiency states developing in cases presenting with precancer conditions, malignant neoplasia, in those subjects having taken part in the elimination of the Chernobyl NPP accident aftermath, those residing on the territories controlled, as well as evolving on account of aging.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1995

Parathyroid cyst of the thymus.

A case is described of primary hyperparathyroidism in a patient with both a parathyroid cyst within the thymus gland and a concomitant parathyroid adenoma. The parathyroid adenoma contained microcystic areas of degeneration, and it is thought that the parathyroid cyst reflected degenerative change in a pre-existing adenoma. Parathyroid cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions within the thymus. Fine needle aspiration and parathyroid hormone assay on cyst fluid may provide a preoperative diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Thymic hyperplasia. I. True thymic hyperplasia. Review of the literature.

The condition of true thymic hyperplasia is defined as an increase of both size and weight of the gland while it maintains normal microscopic architecture. It occurs in three different clinicopathologic forms: True thymic hyperplasia without any other disease is extremely rare and only seven well documented examples could be found in a review of the literature. Enlargement of the thymus gland is reported as a form of rebound phenomenon in a number of conditions like recovery from severe stress situations, after administration of steroids, and after treatment of malignant tumors. Finally, thymic hyperplasia has been described in association with endocrine abnormalities, sarcoidosis, and Beckwith-Wiedeman syndrome.

Child↗
PubMed1996

Changes in body weight and organ weight of Ishibashi (IS) rats with growth.

Changes in body weight (25-175 days old, every 10 days) and weights of various organs (70, 105, 140 and 175 days old), i.e., cerebrum, cerebellum, pituitary gland, thyroid gland, thymus, heart, liver, spleen, adrenal gland, kidney, seminal vesicle, prostate, epididymis, testes, bulbourethral gland and ovary, of Ishibashi (IS) rats with growth, which are model animals for congenital vertebral malformation (spontaneous kyphoscoliosis) were examined as compared with Brown Norway (BN) rats, which are genetically irrelevant to IS rats, and also with hybrid rats (IBF, rats) which are between IS and BN rats. The experimental results showed that body weight and weights of various organs except cerebrum, cerebellum and thymus were greater in IS rats than in BN rats, and body weight and weights of various organs of IBF, rats were intermediate between the two strains of rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1963

THE CELLULAR ORIGIN OF HUMAN IMMUNOGLOBULINS (GAMMA-2, GAMMA-1M, GAMMA-1A).

A study was made of the cellular origin of human immunoglobulins (gamma(2), gamma(1M), gamma(1A)). The results indicated that two closely related families of cells form immunoglobulins in human lymphoid tissue: germinal (reticular) centers and plasma cells. Thus their cellular origin in addition to their known antigenic relations further justifies placing the immunoglobulins in one family of proteins. Immunoglobulins were also formed to a small extent in primitive reticular cells which resembled those of germinal centers but were separated from them. Possibly such cells were undergoing transition to the much more numerous plasma cells with which they were commonly associated. The mantles of small lymphocytes which surrounded germinal centers did not contain detectable quantities of immunoglobulins. While in general only one type of immunoglobulin was present in an individual cell or germinal center, gamma(2)- and gamma(1M)-globulin were identified on occasion in the same plasma cell and germinal center. A peculiarity of the fetal thymus gland was the presence of immunoglobulin, mainly gamma(1M), in a small number of cells of small and intermediate size and primitive reticular appearance and in Hassall's corpuscles.

Cell Biology↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The anti-aging effect of moxibustion and moxibustion combined with skin allograft evaluated from optic and electron microscopy study of thymus and pituitary glands.

The effect of moxibustion combined with acu-area skin allograft therapy for the aging was evaluated using a mice model. This study provides experimental basis and a new research clue for the clinical application of "combination" therapy with the use of optic and electron microscope. We observed that moxibustion, skin allograft, and a combination of the two had the effect of retarding the aging of the thymus gland and pituitary gland. Among them, the moxibustion combined with skin allograft was more effective compared with other single therapies. This study suggests that the combined therapy could raise the therapeutic effect.

Aging↗
PubMed1993

Activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is elevated in rats with activity-based anorexia.

Activity-based anorexia is characterized by suppressed food intake and excessive physical activity. These behaviors are typical of persons with anorexia nervosa. Activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is known to be elevated in anorexia nervosa. We investigated the status of this axis in activity-based anorexia. Meal fed-control (MFC) and meal fed-wheel running (MFWR) rats were given access to food for 90 min daily; MFWR animals were allowed access to an activity wheel the remainder of the day. The experiment terminated when MFWR animals reached 75% of preexperimental body weight (males 3.9 +/- 0.3 d; females 4.2 +/- 0.2 d). Male and female MFWR rats consumed less food than MFC animals, while maintaining a high level of wheel running. Corticosterone concentrations were significantly elevated in MFWR animals. Corticotropin-releasing hormone mRNA concentrations in the paraventricular nucleus were not different. Relative adrenal gland weights were greater and thymus gland weights were lower in MFWR animals. Changes in food intake could not be explained by differences in insulin, glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate or norepinephrine concentrations. Our results suggest increased activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in activity-based anorexia.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Studies on the thymus from patients with multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis.

The thymus glands which were excised for therapy (myasthenia gravis; MG) or experimental therapy (multiple sclerosis; MS) were compared to thymic biopsies from patients undergoing cardiac surgery. There was no difference in the weight or total cells of MG and MS thymuses or of the cell density of control, of MG or MS glands. Only 1 of 25 MS thymuses was hyperplastic, as were 2 of 9 of the MG thymuses and none of the controls. Several differences were noted for thymic lymphocyte proliferation to mitogenes in MS patients and to antigens in MS and MG patients. Ms thymuses had a decreased stimulation index to antithymocyte globulin and to optimal concentrations of pokeweed mitogen. Myasthenia gravis thymuses showed a significantly increased stimulation of myelin basic protein. The % B and % T cell counts were normal for the MS patients. No differences were noted in the incidence of mixed lymphocyte reactions between thymocytes and peripheral lymphocytes in the three groups. Fresh thymic lymphocytes did not suppress concanavalin A stimulated lymphocyte proliferation. It is not known if the differences in lymphocyte proliferation between MS, MG, and control thymuses represent a primary or secondary change.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Computed tomography of the thymus of children under 10 years.

The CT appearance of the mediastinum of 27 patients under 10 years of age was analysed retrospectively, paying special attention to the anterior mediastinum and thymus. None of the patients had thymic disease. The purpose of the study was to record features which might be regarded as characteristic of the normal thymus. The lateral contour of the thymus was clearly seen. There were no infiltrations, but in one case there were displacements due to a prominent thymus. All the thymus glands appeared to be homogeneous. The use of contrast medium helped in distinguishing the thymus from other mediastinal structures; its use is well justified in studying the anterior mediastinum.

Child↗
PubMed1977

Is there acetylcholine receptor in human thymus?

Recent studies have suggested that thymus tissue of the calf may bear nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The presence of similar receptors in thymus tissue of man could thereby serve as a source of antigen for the production of antibody to the acetylcholine receptor in patients with myasthenia gravis. In the present experiments, human thymus tissue was examined for the presence of acetylcholine receptor. Both [125I] alpha-bungarotoxin binding and antiserum to the human acetylcholine receptor were used in tests for acetylcholine receptor in thymus glands from normal individuals and from patients with myasthenia gravis. Neither normal nor myasthenic thymus tissue were found to possess the [125I] alpha-bungarotoxin binding or the antigenic properties of the acetylcholine receptor.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1987

Acquired immunity to Trichophyton mentagrophytes in thymus-grafted or peritoneal exudate cell-injected nude rats.

Congenitally athymic "nude" (RNU/RNU) rats were grafted with syngeneic neonatal thymus glands and 30 days later cutaneously inoculated with Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Nude rats and thymus-grafted nude rats were susceptible to infection with T. mentagrophytes but only thymus-grafted nude rats cleared the dermatophytosis. Clearance of the fungal infection took twice as long (approximately 60 days) in thymus-grafted nude rats when compared with heterozygous euthymic (+/RNU) controls (approximately 35 days). Following clearance of the primary dermatophytosis, peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) were adoptively transferred from either thymus-grafted or heterozygous rats to nude rats. Eight of 12 PEC-recipient nude rats acquired the capacity to resolve T. mentagrophytes-induced dermatophytosis (mean clearance time was approximately 40 days). All heterozygous (+/RNU) rats, thymus-grafted nude rats (4/4), and 8 of 12 PEC-recipient nude rats, which had cleared a primary dermatophytosis also expressed delayed-type hypersensitivity and elevated serum antibody titers to trichophytin antigen. These results demonstrate that immunity to T. mentagrophytes can be acquired in congenitally athymic nude rats following thymus grafting or injection of PEC from syngeneic +/RNU rats; however, injection of PEC from trichophytin-sensitized +/RNU donor rats to nude recipient rats did not result in transfer of specific adoptive immunity to T. mentagrophytes. Interestingly, PEC transfer from non-sensitized +/RNU rats was comparable to thymus grafting in effecting clearance of T. mentagrophytes dermatophytosis. These results suggest that acquired immunity to T. mentagrophytes in the rat is T cell-dependent, and that the absence of functional T lymphocytes and not an epithelial defect results in chronic dermatophytosis in the nude rat.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Pleiotropic influence of triiodothyronine on thymus physiology.

It is well demonstrated that the thymus gland is under neuroendocrine control. Thymic endocrine function can be modulated by a variety of hormones including those secreted by the thyroid gland. This prompted us to investigate putative influences of T3 in further aspects of thymus physiology. We showed that T3-treated animals exhibited an increase in thymus weight, cellularity and cycling cells. Moreover, Thy1+ thymocytes as well as CD4-CD8 defined subsets were augmented in absolute numbers, whereas PgP.1+ cells increased in both absolute and percentage values. In parallel, the total numbers of thymic nurse cells were also increased. Regarding the expression of extracellular matrix components (ECM) by microenvironmental cells, we observed an enhancement in the intrathymic ECM upon T3 in vivo treatment. Similar effects were found in vitro by treating a thymic epithelial cell line or thymic nurse cell-derived epithelial cultures with T3. This treatment also increased the expression of ECM receptors by thymic epithelial cultures. Interestingly, an enhancement in thymocyte/thymic epithelial cell adhesion ratio was observed after T3 treatment of epithelial cells. Our data suggest that T3 exerts a pleiotropic effect upon thymus physiology, stimulating thymocyte differentiation, not only by modulating epithelial cell hormonal secretion but also their production of ECM proteins and respective receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Inactivation of Tbx1 in the pharyngeal endoderm results in 22q11DS malformations.

The 22q11 deletion (22q11DS; velo-cardio-facial syndrome/DiGeorge syndrome) is characterized by defects in the derivatives of the pharyngeal apparatus. Mouse genetic studies have identified Tbx1, a member of the T-box family of transcription factors, as being responsible for the physical malformations of the syndrome. Mice heterozygous for a null mutation in Tbx1 have mild anomalies, whereas homozygous Tbx1 mutants die at birth with severe defects in the derivatives of the pharyngeal apparatus, including cleft palate, thymus gland aplasia and cardiac outflow tract malformations. Tbx1 is expressed in the splanchnic mesenchyme, the pharyngeal endoderm (PE) and in the core mesoderm of the pharyngeal apparatus. Tissue interactions between the epithelia and mesenchyme of the arches are required for development of the pharyngeal apparatus; the precise role of Tbx1 in each tissue is not known. To assess the role of Tbx1 in the PE, a conditional allele of Tbx1 was generated using the Cre/loxP system. Foxg1-Cre was used to drive PE-specific ablation of Tbx1. Conditional null mutants survived embryogenesis, but died in the neonatal period with malformations identical to the defects observed in Tbx1 homozygous null mutants. The abnormalities appear to be secondary to failed outgrowth of the pharyngeal pouches. These results show that Tbx1 in the PE is required for the patterning and development of the pharyngeal apparatus, thereby disrupting the formation of its derivative structures.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Systemic lupus erythematosus.

Recent investigations in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have disclosed the presence of paramyxo-virus-like nucleocapsids in the cytoplasm of renal endothelial cells of patients with this disease. Elaborate techniques have failed to demonstrate conclusively that these are indeed viruses. Concomitantly, there is increasing evidence that SLE patients have defective cell-mediated-immunity. A 3-year-old child with SLE exhibited clinical evidence of defective cellular immunity. At postmortem, paramyxoviruslike tubular structures were demonstrated in her kidneys. Additional findings included the presence of intracytoplasmic viral particles consistent morphologically with herpes simplex virus in neurons from the lateral geniculate body and numerous "nuclear bodies" in neurons and glial cells. A dysplastic thymus gland demonstrated virtual absence of lymphocytes and was devoid of Hassall corpuscles, unlike the thymus usually seen in SLE.

Autopsy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Activity of pentosephosphate cycle and nucleic acid levels in immunocompetent tissues of animals with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis].

A decrease in thymus gland mass and an increase in spleen tissue mass, decrease of DNA content in thymus, cervical and submaxillary lymph nodes, increase in DNA and RNA content in axillary lymph nodes and of RNA in spleen were detected within 15-19 days in rats (220-240 g of body mass), sensitized with 0.4 ml of encephalogenous mixture (0.1 ml in each foot) containing 100 mg of homologous brain tissue, liquid petrolatum and 10 mg of heated BCG vaccine. Activity of transketolase was decreased in thymus, submaxillary lymph nodes and increased in spleen tissue of the sensitized animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

The pattern of prothymosin alpha gene expression coincides with that of myc proto-oncogenes during mouse embryogenesis.

The nuclear protein prothymosin alpha is thought to play a critical role in cellular proliferation. Transcription of the gene encoding prothymosin alpha has been shown to be activated by the proto-oncogene c-myc. Also, prothymosin alpha mRNA expression correlates with that of c-myc in human colon cancer. We compared the previously reported embryonic expression pattern of the proto-oncogene c-myc and the pattern of the prothymosin alpha gene by in situ hybridization. Prothymosin alpha is transcribed in all tissues expressing c-myc, including brown adipose tissue, salivary gland, thymus and liver. In addition, we show that the prothymosin alpha gene is active in tissues expressing specifically N-myc such as the neuronal anlage and hair follicles in skin. Therefore, during mouse foetal development the temporal, spatial and tissue-specific expression patterns of both myc proto-oncogenes coincide with the pattern of prothymosin alpha.

Adipose Tissue, Brown↗