Changes in thymus size, cellularity and relation between thymocyte subpopulations in young adult rats induced by somatostatin-14.

The role of somatostatin on inhibition of both normal and tumor cell cycle, secretion of endocrine and exocrine cells, as well as induction apoptosis is well documented. However, its effect on T cell development and thymic structure is not fully clarified. In order to investigate the influence of somatostatin in vivo on the thymus structure and T cell development, the young adult Albino Oxford male rats were intracerebroventriculary treated with somatostatin-14.

Somatostatin modulates T cells development in adult rat thymus.

It is well known that somatostatin modulates thymic functions, such as binding to receptors. In order to elucidate the influence of somatostatin on the thymus architecture and the T cells maturation, young adult male rats were treated with somatostatin-28. The results showed that somatostatin-28 decreased thymus weight and cellularity, probably due to alterations in the thymic morphometric parameters.