Somatostatin-14 induces different changes in the thymus of peripubertal and young adult rats

• Published in: Acta veterinaria (Beograd) Vol. 60; no. 4; pp. 339 - 354
• Main Authors: Rakin, A.K., Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera Torlak, Belgrade (Serbia), Petrović-Đergović, M.D., Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera Torlak, Belgrade (Serbia), Todorović, V.N., University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia). Institute for Medical Research, Živković, I.P., Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera Torlak, Belgrade (Serbia), Đikić, D., University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia). Institute for Medical Research, Miljković, B., Institute of Veterinary Medicine of Serbia, Belgrade (Serbia), Janković, I., University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia). Institute for Medical Research, Mićić, M.V., University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Serbia). Institute for Medical Research
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: GLANDE THYMUS; GLANDULA DEL TIMO; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_14878; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_26877; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_6464; RAT; RATA; RATS; SOMATOSTATIN; SOMATOSTATINA; SOMATOSTATINE; THYMUS GLAND
• ISSN: 0567-8315; 1820-7448
• DOI: 10.2298/AVB1004339R

Bearing in mind the role of somatostatin in thymus functions, and changes of somatostatin level and expression of its receptors during postnatal life, the aim of this study was to investigate whether centrally applied SRIH-14 induces different changes in the thymic compartments and thymocyte profile in peripubertal and young adult rats. To this end, 4- and 10-week-old male AO rats were cannulated and treated intracerebroventriculary with three doses of SRIH-14, applied every other day. In conclusion, the accumulation of immature cells and decrease of the percentage of cells that have to pass through positive selection, observed in the peripubertal rats, as well as an increase the percentage of DNTCRalfabeta sup(hi) cells and modulation of maturation of selected thymocytes, preferentially towards SPCD8 cells, found in the young adults rats, suggest that SRIH-14 has different effects on thymocytes maturation depending on age. In addition, the decrease of the thymic relative weight measured in peripubertal rats indicates that SRIH-14, although is not a critical factor for thymic involution, contributes its atrophy.