Castration alters peripheral immune function in normal male mice (original) (raw)

Immunology, 1995

Abstract

While it is generally recognized that females show enhanced cell-mediated and antibody responses to antigenic stimulation, the physiological basis for this observed sexual dimorphism of the immune response is not well understood. We report here studies on the effects of androgen deficiency on the peripheral immune system. Intact male mice were compared to animals castrated 3-4 months previously. Phenotypic characterization of thymocyte and lymphocyte subpopulations was carried out using dual-colour flow cytometry. In vitro production by spleen cells of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and levels of total immunoglobulin and autoreactive antibodies was measured by specific immunoassays. In addition to thymic hypertrophy, castrated animals showed significant splenic enlargement, which was largely owing to expansion of the B-cell population. The castrated spleens contained relatively fewer mature T cells than intact controls (P < or = 0.001), but culture s...

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