Linked Life Data

1646445

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/1646445

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
1991-7-15
pubmed:abstractText
Immature lymphocytes in the thymus gland are killed by treatment with exogenous glucocorticoids. This steroid-mediated lymphocytolysis is preceded by numerous alterations in lymphocyte metabolism, including a DNA-degrading process in which the genome is cleaved at internucleosomal intervals. To date, this process has only been characterized by treating lymphocytes in vitro with glucocorticoids or by exogenous treatment of whole animals with adrenal steroids. To determine whether thymocyte DNA degradation could be activated by endogenous glucocorticoids, 4-wk-old chicks were treated with porcine adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This procedure elevated serum corticosterone levels approximately 80-fold within 2 h of hormone treatment. Following ACTH administration, thymocyte DNA was isolated and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The ACTH activated a DNA-degrading process that generated internucleosomal fragments of DNA identical in size to those observed following exogenous treatment with synthetic or naturally occurring glucocorticoids. Furthermore, this response could be inhibited by the glucocorticoid antagonist RU486 (17 beta-hydroxy-11 beta, 4-dimethylaminophenyl-17 alpha-propynl-estra-4,9,diene-3-one), indicating that adrenal steroids activate this process via the glucocorticoid receptor. These results demonstrate that lymphocyte DNA degradation does not result solely from exogenous glucocorticoid treatment; moreover, endogenous glucocorticoids can mediate this process and may thereby play an important role in thymic gland function.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
0032-5791
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
70
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
521-9
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1991
pubmed:articleTitle
Activation of thymocyte deoxyribonucleic acid degradation by endogenous glucocorticoids.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens 30602.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't