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Immunohistochemical characterization of thymic macrophages in normal and treated rats: a differential sensitivity to cyclosporine A
Author(s) -
REZZANI R.,
RODELLA L.,
MILANESI S.,
BIANCHI R.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
international journal of experimental pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.671
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1365-2613
pISSN - 0959-9673
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2613.1996.9790317.x
Subject(s) - macrophage , biology , immunohistochemistry , population , monoclonal antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , antibody , biochemistry , in vitro , medicine , environmental health
In the present study, a set of two monoclonal antibodies (TRPM1, TRPM2) was used to investigate the macrophage populations in the rat thymus and their different sensitivities to cyclosporine‐A (CsA). With double immunohistochemical staining we demonstrated that, in the normal rat thymus, there are 3 populations of macrophages (TRPM1 + , TRPM1/2 + , TRPM2 + ), present in different proportions throughout the thymus. In the outer cortex TRPM1 + and TRPM1/2 + were present, but the TRPM1/2 + cells were more numerous. No TRPM2 + cells were observed in this area. The cortex and medulla showed all 3 types of cells with a majority of TRPM1/2 + cells. In the corticomedullary zone (CMZ) TRPM1/2 + and TRPM2 + macrophages were present in about equal proportion while only a few TRPM1 + cells were observed. After CsA treatment (for 21 days) profound changes occurred in the thymus; we observed a complete disappearance of the thymic medulla and a reduction in the total number of macrophages. The TRPM1 + macrophages had been eliminated, a few TRPM1/2 + cells were found while many of the cells were TRPM2 + . The presence of the macrophages in different thymic areas suggests that they are a very heterogeneous population. The possible significance of the macrophage heterogeneity and the relationship to CsA sensitivity is discussed.