Protection against apoptosis in chicken bursa and thymus cells by phorbol ester in vitro

Conference · Thu Mar 14 23:00:00 EST 1991 · FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States)

OSTI ID:5214334

Asakawa, J; Thorbecke, G J ^[1]

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1. Univ. of New York, New York (United States)

Programmed suicide or apoptosis, due to activation of endogenous nucleases, occurs in immature CD4{sup {minus}}85{sup {minus}} mammalian thymus cells. Like the thymus, the bursa of Fabricius is a site of massive lymphopoiesis accompanied by cell death in vivo. In the present study the authors have, therefore, examined whether chicken bursa and thymus cells exhibit apoptosis. Bursa and thymus cells from SC chickens, 4-10 weeks of age, were incubated for 8-24 hrs with various reagents. Genomic DNA was isolated, electrophoresed in 3% Nusieve agarose gels, and examined for patterns of DNA fragmentation. A laddering of DNA in multiples of 200 base pairs, indicative of apoptosis, was observed with both bursa and thymus cells. These patterns of DNA fragmentation from bursa cells could be prevented by adding phorbol myristic acetate during culture and, more effectively, by PMA plus ionomycin, but not by ionomycin alone or by anti-{mu}. PMA did not affect the patterns of DNA fragmentation seen with spleen cells. Addition of the protein kinase C inhibitor staurosporin inhibited the preventive effect of PMA on apoptosis. PMA also greatly promoted the survival of bursa cells in culture, as assayed by percentage cell death and by {sup 3}H-thymidine incorporation. It is concluded that bursa and thymus cells from the chicken exhibit apoptosis. The data further suggest that protein kinase C activation protects apoptosis in cultured bursa cells.

• OSTI ID: 5214334
• Report Number(s): CONF-9104107--
• Journal Information: FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States), Journal Name: FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States) Vol. 5:5; ISSN FAJOE; ISSN 0892-6638
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
AZINES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIRDS
CARCINOGENS
CHICKENS
DNA
ELECTROPHORESIS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYME INHIBITORS
ENZYMES
ESTERS
FOWL
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IN VITRO
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PHORBOL ESTERS
PHOSPHORUS-GROUP TRANSFERASES
PHOSPHOTRANSFERASES
PROTEINS
PYRIMIDINES
RIBOSIDES
SOMATIC CELLS
SURVIVAL TIME
THYMIDINE
THYMUS CELLS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRANSFERASES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES