| Nutritional imbalances and infections affect the thymus: consequences on T-cell-mediated immune responses. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 20860857 Owner: NLM Status: In-Process |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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The thymus gland, where T lymphocyte development occurs, is targeted in malnutrition secondary to protein energy deficiency. There is a severe thymic atrophy, resulting from massive thymocyte apoptosis (particularly affecting the immature CD4+CD8+ cell subset) and decrease in cell proliferation. The thymic microenvironment (the non-lymphoid compartment that drives intrathymic T-cell development) is also affected in malnutrition: morphological changes in thymic epithelial cells were found, together with a decrease of thymic hormone production, as well as an increase of intrathymic contents of extracellular proteins. Profound changes in the thymus can also be seen in deficiencies of vitamins and trace elements. Taking Zn deficiency as an example, there is a substantial thymic atrophy. Importantly, marginal Zn deficiency in AIDS subjects, children with diarrhoea and elderly persons, significantly impairs the host's immunity, resulting in an increased risk of opportunistic infections and mortality; effects that are reversed by Zn supplementation. Thymic changes also occur in acute infectious diseases, including a severe thymic atrophy, mainly due to the depletion of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes, decrease in thymocyte proliferation, in parallel to densification of the epithelial network and increase in the extracellular matrix contents, with consequent disturbances in thymocyte migration and export. In conclusion, the thymus is targeted in several conditions of malnutrition as well as in acute infections. These changes are related to the impaired peripheral immune response seen in malnourished and infected individuals. Thus, strategies inducing thymus replenishment should be considered as adjuvant therapeutics to improve immunity in malnutrition and/or acute infectious diseases. |
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Authors:
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Wilson Savino; Mireille Dardenne |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Date: 2010-09-22 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society Volume: 69 ISSN: 0029-6651 ISO Abbreviation: Proc Nutr Soc Publication Date: 2010 Nov |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2010-10-19 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 7505881 Medline TA: Proc Nutr Soc Country: England |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 636-43 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. savino@fiocruz.br |
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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