Several deleterious effects may occur when intense and exhaustive exercise (IE) is not well-planned. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a short duration IE on body chemical composition and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. C57Bl/6 mice were distributed into four groups (10 mice per group): control (C-4D and C-10D), 4 days (E-4D), and 10 days of IE (E-10D). IE program consisted of a daily running session at 85 % of maximum speed until the animal reached exhaustion. Body weight as well as total body water, fat and protein content were determined from animal carcasses. HPA activation was assessed by plasma corticosterone levels measured by radioimmunoassay and the weight of both the adrenal glands and thymus were measured. Plasma corticosterone levels increased by 64 % in both the E-4D and E-10D groups. The weight of the adrenal glands augmented by 74 % and 45 %, at 4 and 10 days of IE, respectively, whereas thymus weight diminished by 15 % only in the E-10D group. The total carcass fat content decreased by 20 % only at 4 days IE, whereas protein content decreased by 20 % in both E-4D and E-10D groups. A relationship between corticosterone plasma levels and loss of body protein content in both E-4D and E-10D groups was observed (R2=0.999). We concluded that IE may be related to HPA axis activation associated with remodeling of body chemical composition in C57BL/6 mice., E. F. Rosa, G. A. Alves, J. Luz, S. M. A. Silva, D. Suchecki, J. B. Pesquero, J. Aboulafia, V. L. A. Nouailhetas., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The thymus plays a critical role in establishing and maintaining the peripheral T-cell pool. It does so by providing a microenvironment within which T-cell precursors differentiate and undergo selection processes to create a functional population of major histocompatibility complex-restricted, self-tolerant T cells. These cells are central to adap tive immunity. Thymic T-cell development is influenced by loca lly produced soluble factors and cell-to-cell interactions, as well as by sympathetic noradrenergic and endocrine system signalling. Thymic lymphoid and non- lymphoid cells have been shown not only to express β - and α 1 - adrenoceptors (ARs), but also to synthesize catecholamines (CAs). Thus, it is suggested that CAs influence T-cell development via both neurocrine/endocrine and autocrine/ paracrine action, and that they serve as immunotransmitters between thymocytes and nerves. CAs acting at multiple sites along the thymocyte developmental route affect T-cell generation not only numerically, but also qualitatively. Thymic CA level and synthesis, as well as AR expression exhibit sex steroid-mediated sexual dimorphism. Moreover, the influence of CAs on T-cell development exhibits glucocorticoid-dependent plasticity. This review summarizes recent findings in this field and our current understanding of complex and multifaceted neuroendocrine- immune communications at thymic level., G. Leposavić, I. Pilipović, M. Perišić., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The activity of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and cytosol superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) was measured in corresponding subcellular fractions prepared from the thymi of intact and chronically gonadectomized (GX) rats of both sexes, as well as of GX male and female rats injected subcutaneously with a single dose of 5 mg estradiol benzoate (EB) and/or 2 mg progesterone (P). Animals were sacrificed 2 h or 24 h following hormone treatment. In the females, the activity of MnSOD in the thymus was stable during the estrous cycle and did not change after ovariectomy. Treatment of GX females with estradiol benzoate resulted 2 h later in a significant elevation of MnSOD activity, whereas 24 h later the activity returned back to control values. On the other hand, treatment of GX females with progesterone had no effect on the MnSOD activity. However, combined hormone treatment, in which EB injection preceded progesterone injection by one hour, enhanced the effect on MnSOD activity similar to that of estradiol benzoate alone. The activity of CuZnSOD in cycling rats was increased in proestrus, whereas removal of the ovaries kept the values at low diestrus and estrus levels. Contrary to MnSOD, CuZnSOD activity did not change after EB treatment of GX females, while progesterone increased the enzyme activity at 2 h and 24 h after hormone treatment. However, combined EB+P treatment proved to be ineffective. In the males, neither MnSOD nor CuZnSOD activity was affected by the removal of testes or by progesterone treatment of GX animals. Only EB injection to GX rats significantly increased CuZnSOD activity 24 h later., J. Kasapović, S.B. Pajović, S. Pejić, J.V. Martinović., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The effect of immunomodulatory agents on reparation processes in the thymus was studied in mice injured by a single sublethal or lethal dose of ionizing radiation ranging between 6.5-9.5 Gy. Reparation of thymus weight was not influenced by pretreatment with immunomodulators. Furthermore, the morphological picture did not exhibit appreciable differences between non-protected and protected groups, except for greater proliferation of fibroblasts and macrophages in protected animals.
The activities of cytosol superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) were measured in subcellular fractions of homogenates prepared from the brain, thymus and liver of ovariectomized (OVX) female rats, non-treated or treated 24 h prior to sacrifice with a single s.c. dose of 0.1 ml olive oil. In the brain, neither MnSOD nor CuZnSOD were affected by olive oil, whereas in the thymus the olive oil injection elevated CuZnSOD and did not affect MnSOD activity. At the same time, the activity of CuZnSOD was reduced and that of MnSOD was elevated in the liver following oil treatment. These results suggest that olive oil has modulatory effects on the expression of CuZnSOD and MnSOD activity in the liver and of CuZnSOD in the thymus of female rats.