Biomaterial Database

6-Hydroxydopamine induces thymocyte apoptosis in mice. 1996

C W Tsao, and J T Cheng, and C L Shen, and Y S Lin

Department of Pharmacology, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan.

6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induces degeneration of noradrenergic nerves and has been shown to alter the immune responses. In this study, intraperitoneal administration of 6-OHDA induces mouse thymus atrophy. The lowest levels of thymus weight and cell number were reached at days 3 and 5 in mice receiving 6-OHDA treatment; they gradually recovered thereafter. On flow cytometry analysis, the most substantial reductions were recorded for CD4+CD8+ thymocytes, although the numbers of other subpopulations, i.e. CD4+CD8-, CD4-CD8+ and CD4-CD8- cells were also reduced. DNA fragmentation, a characteristic of apoptosis, was detected in the thymocytes following 6-OHDA injection. Pretreatment with desipramine greatly blocked the reduction in thymus size and thymocyte number, the changes in thymocyte subpopulations, the percentage of subdiploid (apoptotic) cells and the appearance of DNA fragmented bands. Furthermore, 6-OHDA-induced thymocyte apoptosis could also be detected in vitro, and was blocked by desipramine treatment. These results indicate that 6-OHDA induces mouse thymocytes to undergo apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro, and this effect is inhibited by catecholamine uptake blocker.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008807	Mice, Inbred BALB C	An inbred strain of mouse that is widely used in IMMUNOLOGY studies and cancer research.	BALB C Mice, Inbred,BALB C Mouse, Inbred,Inbred BALB C Mice,Inbred BALB C Mouse,Mice, BALB C,Mouse, BALB C,Mouse, Inbred BALB C,BALB C Mice,BALB C Mouse
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D003891	Desipramine	A tricyclic dibenzazepine compound that potentiates neurotransmission. Desipramine selectively blocks reuptake of norepinephrine from the neural synapse, and also appears to impair serotonin transport. This compound also possesses minor anticholinergic activity, through its affinity to muscarinic receptors.	Desmethylimipramine,Apo-Desipramine,Demethylimipramine,Desipramine Hydrochloride,Norpramin,Novo-Desipramine,Nu-Desipramine,PMS-Desipramine,Pertofran,Pertofrane,Pertrofran,Petylyl,Ratio-Desipramine,Apo Desipramine,Hydrochloride, Desipramine,Novo Desipramine,Nu Desipramine,PMS Desipramine,Ratio Desipramine
D004249	DNA Damage	Injuries to DNA that introduce deviations from its normal, intact structure and which may, if left unrepaired, result in a MUTATION or a block of DNA REPLICATION. These deviations may be caused by physical or chemical agents and occur by natural or unnatural, introduced circumstances. They include the introduction of illegitimate bases during replication or by deamination or other modification of bases; the loss of a base from the DNA backbone leaving an abasic site; single-strand breaks; double strand breaks; and intrastrand (PYRIMIDINE DIMERS) or interstrand crosslinking. Damage can often be repaired (DNA REPAIR). If the damage is extensive, it can induce APOPTOSIS.	DNA Injury,DNA Lesion,DNA Lesions,Genotoxic Stress,Stress, Genotoxic,Injury, DNA,DNA Injuries
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013950	Thymus Gland	A single, unpaired primary lymphoid organ situated in the MEDIASTINUM, extending superiorly into the neck to the lower edge of the THYROID GLAND and inferiorly to the fourth costal cartilage. It is necessary for normal development of immunologic function early in life. By puberty, it begins to involute and much of the tissue is replaced by fat.	Thymus,Gland, Thymus,Glands, Thymus,Thymus Glands
D016627	Oxidopamine	A neurotransmitter analogue that depletes noradrenergic stores in nerve endings and induces a reduction of dopamine levels in the brain. Its mechanism of action is related to the production of cytolytic free-radicals.	6-Hydroxydopamine,6-OHDA,Oxidopamine Hydrobromide,Oxidopamine Hydrochloride,6 Hydroxydopamine,Hydrobromide, Oxidopamine,Hydrochloride, Oxidopamine
D017209	Apoptosis	A regulated cell death mechanism characterized by distinctive morphologic changes in the nucleus and cytoplasm, including the endonucleolytic cleavage of genomic DNA, at regularly spaced, internucleosomal sites, i.e., DNA FRAGMENTATION. It is genetically programmed and serves as a balance to mitosis in regulating the size of animal tissues and in mediating pathologic processes associated with tumor growth.	Apoptosis, Extrinsic Pathway,Apoptosis, Intrinsic Pathway,Caspase-Dependent Apoptosis,Classic Apoptosis,Classical Apoptosis,Programmed Cell Death,Programmed Cell Death, Type I,Apoptoses, Extrinsic Pathway,Apoptoses, Intrinsic Pathway,Apoptosis, Caspase-Dependent,Apoptosis, Classic,Apoptosis, Classical,Caspase Dependent Apoptosis,Cell Death, Programmed,Classic Apoptoses,Extrinsic Pathway Apoptoses,Extrinsic Pathway Apoptosis,Intrinsic Pathway Apoptoses,Intrinsic Pathway Apoptosis
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus