[Apoptosis, proliferation and spleen histomorphometry of adult female rats with thyroid and ovarian hypofunction].

Apoptosis, proliferation and histomorphometry of spleen were investigated in ovariectomized and non-ovariectomized adult Wistar rats maintained in hypothyroidism induced by daily administration of propylthiouracil (PTU) during 120 days. Two groups ovariectomized euthyroid and non-ovariectomized euthyroid were used as controls. Plasma was collected for free T4 dosage and the spleen for histomorphometry analysis, apoptosis index and the immunohistochemistry expression of caspase 3 and CDC47. Values of free T4 were lower in rats treated with PTU (p<0.05). In the hypothyroid groups there was some decrease in the spleen weight as well as the number and size of lymphoid follicles and there was some increase in the apoptotic index and the caspase 3 expression (p<0.05). However, the increase in the apoptosis index and the expression of caspase 3 in ovariectomized hypothyroid rats spleen was less accentuated than non-ovariectomized hypothyroid ones (p<0.05). The ovariectomized euthyroid group presented white pulp hyperplasia in comparison to the non-ovariectomized euthyroid group. There was no difference in the CDC47 expression between groups. It was concluded that the thyroid and ovarian hypofunction have distinct effects on the spleen and that in the hypothyroidism-hypogonadism association, the increase in the apoptosis index and in the expression of splenic caspase 3 is not as much as in isolated hypothyroidism.