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Expression and the Role of Type 1A Serotonin Receptor in Rats’ Embryonic Thymus

  • BIOLOGY OF ANIMAL DEVELOPMENT (INVERTEBRATES AND VERTEBRATES)
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An Erratum to this article was published on 01 January 2021

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Abstract

Serotonin is involved in the regulation of a wide range of immune system functions in sexually mature animals. It was previously shown that the suppression of serotonin synthesis in fetuses during the formation of the thymus leads to long-term irreversible changes in the functioning of the T-system immunity. However, the mechanisms of morphogenetic influence of serotonin on the development of the thymus remain unclear. In this study, the expression of mRNA and the protein product of serotonin receptor type 1A (Htr1a) in the fetal thymus was revealed. A single administration of the Htr1a antagonist NAN-190 into fetuses in utero on the 17th day of embryonic development caused a persistent increase in the functional activity of T-lymphocytes in postnatal life. Research on the model of the organotypic culture of the embryonic thymus shows that the Htr1a blockade accelerates the differentiation of T-lymphocytes at the earliest stages of their development and has little effect on the formation of mature forms of T-helper cells and cytotoxic T‑lymphocytes. The presence of Htr1a receptors in the developing thymus confirms the possibility of a direct influence of serotonin on the formation of this organ. It was found that serotonin can act through Htr1a and can change the balance of cytokines in the forming thymus, which may underlie the mechanisms of ontogenetic plasticity of the immune system. Cytokines that are responsible for differentiation of thymus cell elements appear to be one of the key links through which the morphogenetic effect of serotonin mediated by activation of the Htr1a receptor is realized.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank the Core Centrum of Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, for the use of their equipment during this experimental work.

Funding

The research was performed within the framework of State Assignment of Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, no. 0108-2019-0002, and was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project number 17-14-01353.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Koltsov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334, Moscow, Russia

    N. V. Lifantseva, Ts. O. Koneeva, S. N. Voronova, L. A. Zakharova & V. I. Melnikova

  2. Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russia

    G. V. Lutsenko

Authors
  1. N. V. Lifantseva
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  2. Ts. O. Koneeva
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  3. S. N. Voronova
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  4. G. V. Lutsenko
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  5. L. A. Zakharova
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  6. V. I. Melnikova
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Contributions

N.V. Lifantseva, Ts.O. Koneeva, G.V. Lutsenko: the execution of experiments, statistical data processing; S.N. Voronova: providing pregnant females with a dated pregnancy, providing care for animals in the postoperative period; L.A. Zakharova: participation in discussion about results, writing the text of the article; V.I. Melnikova: planning experiments, performing experiments, analyzing results, writing the text of the article. All authors participated in the discussion about the results.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. I. Melnikova.

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Conflict of interest. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Statement on the welfare of animals. During this study, all manipulations performed with experimental animals, methods of anesthesia, euthanasia, and animal care before and after experimental interventions matched international standards on bioethics. The plan of experiments was approved by the Bioethics Commission of Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences (expert conclusion no. 22, March 15, 2018)

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Translated by A. Ermakov

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Lifantseva, N.V., Koneeva, T.O., Voronova, S.N. et al. Expression and the Role of Type 1A Serotonin Receptor in Rats’ Embryonic Thymus. Russ J Dev Biol 51, 283–293 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062360420050057

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062360420050057

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