Correlations between components of the immune system
Yehudit Shabat, Yaron Ilan
F1000Research September 28, 2023 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.54487.2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Animal experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice (splenectomized and non-splenectomized, fasting and non-fasting) and their out-of-body autogeneic and syngeneic lymphocytes |
| Key findings | Fasting in mice reduced CD8 and CD25 expression and increased TNFα, while splenectomy altered CD8, CD25, and CD4 CD25 expression and TNFα, IFNg, and IL10 secretion depending on fasting status. Lymphocytes kept out of body above cages of fasting mice showed changed CD8 expression and lower TNFα and IFNg secretion than those above empty cages. The authors argue this demonstrates an out-of-body correlation between immune components without mediator transfer. |
Abstract
Background: No evidence of the possibility to alter a constituent of the immune system without directly affecting one of its associated components has been shown yet.
Methods: A schematic model was developed in which two triggers, fasting and splenectomy, were studied for their ability to affect the expression of cell membrane epitopes and the cytokine secretion of out-of-body autogeneic and syngeneic lymphocytes. Results : Fasting decreased expression of CD8 and CD25 and increased TNFα levels. The effect of splenectomy as a trigger was investigated in non-fasting mice by comparing splenectomized and non-splenectomized mice. An increase in the CD8 expression and in TNFα, IFNg, and IL10 secretion was noted. The effect of splenectomy as a trigger was investigated in fasting mice by comparing splenectomized and non-splenectomized mice. Splenectomy had a significant effect on expression of CD25 and CD4 CD25 and on secretion of TNFα, IFNg, and IL10. To determine the effect of keeping the cells in an out-of-body location on the expression of lymphocyte epitopes, tubes kept on top of the cages of the fasting mice were compared with tubes kept on top of empty cages. A significant change in the CD8 expression was noted. To determine the effect of keeping cells in an out-of-body location on cytokine secretion, tubes kept on top of cages were tested for cytokine levels. A significant decrease was noted for the secretion of TNFα and IFNg.
Conclusions: The data obtained from this study characterized a system for induction of correlations between two components of the immune system without a transfer of mediators. The study showed that a mouse could affect cells at a distance and alter the expression of surface markers and cytokine secretion following two types of triggers: fasting and/or splenectomy. Thus, an out-of-body correlation can be induced between two components of the immune system.