Rationale: Eosinophils are “end cell” leucocytes, associated with allergy, asthma and helminthiasis. At sites of inflammation, eosinophils may modulate immune response through expression of the extra-hepatic tryptophan-catabolising enzyme, Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO). Kynurenines, products of tryptophan cleavage, induce apoptosis of T-cells, including thymocytes. Eosinophils naturally home to the thymi in mammals. Thymus is a primary lymphoid organ, where T-cells develop and undergo selection. My hypothesis is that eosinophils homing to the thymi participate in T-cell development through their expression of IDO. Methods: Immunohistochemistry revealed eosinophils in thymic tissue. Immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry were used to locate IDO protein expression in the thymus particularly in thymic eosinophils. RT-PCR and real-time PCR determined the presence of IDO mRNA in the thymus. Results: thymic eosinophils express IDO and infiltrate compartments associated with negative selection. The highest IDO transcription correlated with the influx of eosinophils and prevalence of immature thymocytes. / Experimental Medicine
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:AEU.10048/543 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Cravetchi, Olga Vladimir |
| Contributors | Moqbel, Redwan (Medicine), Ostergaard, Hanna (Medical Microbiology and Immunology), Puttagunta, Lakshmi (Laboratory Medicine and Pathology), Baldwin, Troy (Medical Microbiology and Immunology) |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 4161397 bytes, application/pdf |
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