Prolonged Effect of Stress (Water and Food Deprivation) at Weaning or in Adult Age on the Triiodothyronine and Histamine Content of Immune Cells

Abstract

We used two days of total water and food deprivation as stress for female rats at weaning (three weeks old) and at adult age (two and a half months old). Triiodothyronine (T₃) and histamine content of immune cells (lymphocytes, mast cells and monocyte-macrophage-granulocyte group in peritoneal fluid; lymphocytes, granulocytes and monocytes in blood; and lymphocytes in thymus) were studied three weeks after stress application using specific antibodies for flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. The stress at weaning increased T₃ content of thymus lymphocytes. In case of adult T₃, there was a cell type independent significant effect of stress, decreasing values in peritoneal fluid and slightly increasing effect in the blood. Histamine content of granulocytes was also significantly elevated. The experiments demonstrate that not only fetal or neonatal stress has long-lasting consequences, but also stress events in later periods of life in cells (organs) that are continuously differentiating. We will go on to discuss the importance of T₃ and histamine in connection with stress and immunity.

Stress - T₃ - histamine - hormonal imprinting - immunity

References

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