Ghrelin在BALB/c小鼠胸腺中的定位分布与发育性表达

Localization,Distribution and Developmental Expression of Ghrelin in Thymus of BALB/c Mouse

本试验应用免疫组织化学方法和显微图像分析技术,探讨了Ghrelin在1、3、5、6、12月龄BALB/c小鼠胸腺中的定位分布和发育性表达规律。结果表明,Ghrelin免疫阳性反应主要分布于胸腺髓质内,而胸腺皮质中较少。Ghrelin阳性细胞类型包括被膜下胸腺上皮细胞、星形胸腺上皮细胞、髓质胸腺上皮细胞、胸腺小体上皮细胞、巨噬细胞、胸腺髓质的部分淋巴细胞,可能还有胸腺树突状细胞。Ghrelin在小鼠胸腺中的表达量,1、3月龄之间差异不显著(P>0.05),5、6月龄之间差异也不显著(P>0.05),但5、6月龄显著低于1、3月龄(P<0.05),而12月龄又显著低于5、6月龄(P<0.05)和极显著低于1、3月龄(P<0.01),即随着年龄的增长,胸腺中的Ghrelin表达量逐渐减少。结果提示,胸腺的年龄性退化可能与Ghrelin的表达量下降有关。

The present study was conducted to examine the localization,distribution and developmental expression of Ghrelin in thymus of 1,3,5,6,12-month-old BALB/c mice by immunohistochemical staining and microscopic image analysis.Ghrelin-immunopositive reaction was mainly distributed in the thymic medulla,less in the thymic cortex.The types of Ghrelin-immunopositive cells were subcapsular thymic epithelial cells,stellate thymic epithelial cells,medullary thymic epithelial cells,thymic corpuscle epithelial cells,macrophages and some lymphocytes in the thymic medulla,maybe thymic dendritic cells.The expressional contents of Ghrelin in thymus had not significant difference（P〈0.05） between 1-and 3-month-old mice,as well as 5-and 6-month-old mice,but that of 5-and 6-month-old mice were significantly lower（P〈0.05） than that of 1-and 3-month-old mice,as well as that of 12-month-old mice were significantly（P〈0.05）and extremely significantly lower（P〈0.01）than that of 5-,6-,and 1-,3-month-old mice respectively.The results suggested that the expressional contents of Ghrelin in thymus of mouse declined with age,and it might contribute to the age-associated involution of thymus.