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Expression of atrial natriuretic peptide in thymic macrophages after dexamethasone treatment of rats

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Summary

The rat thymus represents a site of synthesis of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP); the immunosuppressor dexamethasone strikingly increases ANP-expression in this immune organ. The presented data suggest that this increase can be attributed to macrophages. By means of immunohistochemistry and Northern blot analysis these immune cells were found to express ANP-immunoreactivity as well as mRNA coding for ANP. In contrast, macrophages of control thymi displayed only weak ANP-immunoreactivity. Thus, ANP appears to be a constituent of rat thymic macrophages, and its synthesis in the thymus is strongly elevated by acute exposure of the animals to glucocorticoids.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Pharmakologie, Toxikologie und Pharmazie, Universität München, Königinstrasse 16, W-8000, München 22, Germany

    Angelika M. Vollmar & Rüdiger Schulz

  2. Institut für Veterinärpathologie der Universität, Veterinärstrasse 13, W-8000, München 22, Germany

    Florian Colbatzky

Authors
  1. Angelika M. Vollmar
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  2. Florian Colbatzky
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  3. Rüdiger Schulz
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Vollmar, A.M., Colbatzky, F. & Schulz, R. Expression of atrial natriuretic peptide in thymic macrophages after dexamethasone treatment of rats. Cell Tissue Res 268, 397–399 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318809

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318809

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