1. Growth hormone in the presence of laminin modulates interaction of human thymic epithelial cells and thymocytes in vitro.
- Author
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Lins MP, de Araújo Vieira LF, Rosa AA, and Smaniotto S
- Subjects
- Analysis of Variance, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Cell Adhesion drug effects, Cell Differentiation drug effects, Cell Movement drug effects, Cells, Cultured, Child, Child, Preschool, Coculture Techniques, Flow Cytometry methods, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Integrin alpha6beta1 analysis, Integrin alpha6beta1 metabolism, Laminin drug effects, Reference Values, Thymus Gland metabolism, Time Factors, Epithelial Cells drug effects, Growth Hormone pharmacology, Laminin biosynthesis, Thymocytes drug effects, Thymus Gland cytology
- Abstract
Background: Several evidences indicate that hormones and neuropeptides function as immunomodulators. Among these, growth hormone (GH) is known to act on the thymic microenvironment, supporting its role in thymocyte differentiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of GH on human thymocytes and thymic epithelial cells (TEC) in the presence of laminin., Results: GH increased thymocyte adhesion on BSA-coated and further on laminin-coated surfaces. The number of migrating cells in laminin-coated membrane was higher in GH-treated thymocyte group. In both results, VLA-6 expression on thymocytes was constant. Also, treatment with GH enhanced laminin production by TEC after 24 h in culture. However, VLA-6 integrin expression on TEC remained unchanged. Finally, TEC/thymocyte co-culture model demonstrated that GH elevated absolute number of double-negative (CD4(-)CD8(-)) and single-positive CD4(+) and CD8(+) thymocytes. A decrease in cell number was noted in double-positive (CD4(+)CD8(+)) thymocytes., Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that GH is capable of enhancing the migratory capacity of human thymocytes in the presence of laminin and promotes modulation of thymocyte subsets after co-culture with TEC.
- Published
- 2016
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