Study summary · research use only
Modulation of thymic endocrine function by thyroid and steroid hormones
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This study examined the influence of thyroid and steroid hormones on secretion of thymulin, a thymic hormone, using in vivo experiments in young mice and in vitro cultured thymic epithelial cells. Triodothyronine injected in mice or applied to supernatants of cultured thymic epithelial cells was associated with an increase in thymulin synthesis and secretion, respectively. Steroid influence was investigated in vivo by adrenalectomy and/or castration, and in vitro by adding various steroids and/or their antagonists to cultured cells. Surgical removal of adrenals and/or gonads was associated with a transient depletion of circulating thymulin and an increase in the number of thymulin-containing cells. The authors conclude the steroid hormones examined could act directly on the thymic epithelium, likely via specific receptors.
Abstract
The thymic epithelium is responsible for the secretion of thymic hormones that intervene in some steps of intra- and extra-thymic T cell differentiation. In the present paper, we studied the in vivo and in vitro influences of thyroid and steroid hormones on the secretion of thymulin, one of the chemically-defined thymic hormones. Triodothyronine injected in young mice or applied into supernatants of cultured thymic epithelial cells resulted in an increase of thymulin synthesis and secretion, respectively evaluated by the analyses of thymulin containing cells and thymulin levels. The influence of steroids was investigated in vivo by steroid depletion (adrenalectomy and/or castration) and in vitro by the addition of various steroids and/or their specific antagonists to cultured thymic epithelial cells. Surgical ablation of adrenals and/or gonads induced a transient depletion of circulating thymulin and, by feedback mechanism, an increase in the numbers of thymulin containing cells. From the in vitro data we could conclude that the various steroid hormones (that exhibited a stimulatory effect) can act directly on the thymic epithelium, probably via specific receptors. The bulk of data above described represents a strong evidence for the physiological involvement of the neuroendocrine network, on the hormonal function of the thymic epithelium.
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