Thymocyte-directed enhancement of apoptosis via soluble factor(s) derived from a cortical and a medullary thymic epithelial cell line.

Apoptosis of murine thymocytes was examined either in intact fetal thymus lobes or in thymus cell suspensions, both cultured alone or in the presence of either a cortical (TEC 1.4) or a medullary (TEC 2.3) thymic epithelial cell line.

Cholinergic signals to and from the immune system.

This article reviews recent data from our laboratory towards the impact of the autonomous nervous system on mutual interactions between the immune system and the central nervous system. Using a pharmacological approach in rats it is shown that shifts in the adrenergic/cholinergic balance in vivo affect in vitro functions of the non-specific and specific immune system, whereby adrenergic and cholinergic stimulation in general have opposite effects. A high degree of integration appears to exist between cells of the immune system with the cholinergic system.

Cholinergic stimulation modulates apoptosis and differentiation of murine thymocytes via a nicotinic effect on thymic epithelium.

Effects of cholinergic agonists/antagonists on apoptosis and differentiation of murine thymus cells were investigated in two in vitro models. Treatment with 10(-7) M carbachol was found to counteract the effects of a cortical thymus epithelial cell line (TEC 1.4), on apoptosis and the ratio of CD4 CD8 DP/DN cells in cocultured fetal thymus lobes.