Abstract
We have previously reported that exposure of monkey embryos to 13-cis-retinoic acid (cRA) results in thymic defects. In this study, we analyzed lymphocyte and antigen-presenting cell populations at gestational days (GDs) 80-100 in the thymus, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, and gut-associated lymphoid tissue following a teratogenic dosing regimen of cRA (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) at GD14-27. Tissue sections were immunostained for T-cells (anti-CD3), B-cells (anti-CD20), dendritic cells (p55), and major histocompatibility class II (anti-HLA-DR). Digital images of spleen sections were analyzed to obtain the relative area occupied by the cell subsets within the white pulp (WP). Compared with controls, the T-cell dependent compartment of the spleen WP in specimens with perturbed thymic development (aplasia and severe hypoplasia) showed a reduction in size and proportion of CD3+ T cells. Our findings indicate that cRA-induced thymic defects result in disrupted development of the splenic T-cell dependent compartment.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 91-97 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Medical Primatology |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2002 |
Keywords
- Fetus
- Immunotoxicity
- Macaca fascicularis
- Spleen
- T- and B-lymphocytes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Animal Science and Zoology
- veterinary(all)