Lutton B V, Callard I P
Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2008 Jan 1;155(1):116-25. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2007.03.011. Epub 2007 Mar 28.
In elasmobranchs, the epigonal organ, a unique leukopoietic immune tissue, is associated with the gonads. As the ovaries increase in size during reproductive activity, the overall mass of the epigonal organ does not change. However, immunohistochemistry (proliferating cell nuclear antigen Ab) demonstrated more proliferative activity and extravasation of epigonal leukocytes from blood vessels in reproductively active (RA) skates (Leucoraja erinacea) than in non-reproductively active (NRA) skates. In addition, [(3)H]thymidine incorporation was greater in epigonal leukocytes from RA skates than in leukocytes from NRA skates. Plasma from RA skates, but not from NRA skates, increased proliferation of epigonal leukocytes in vitro, an effect that was not seen using steroid-free plasma. In contrast to the stimulatory effect of plasma on leukocyte proliferation, addition of steroids (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and dexamethasone) in vitro decreased [(3)H]thymidine incorporation. While the inhibitory response to steroids was seasonally variable, (3)[H]thymidine incorporation was always highest in RA animals, in which plasma steroid levels were also consistently highest. These studies suggest functional interactions between reproductive and immune tissues in the skate, and that cellular turnover in epigonal tissue may be influenced by gonadal activity.
在软骨鱼类中，性腺相关的独特造血免疫组织——副性腺器官，与性腺相连。在生殖活动期间，随着卵巢体积增大，副性腺器官的总体质量并未改变。然而，免疫组织化学（增殖细胞核抗原抗体）显示，与非生殖活跃（NRA）的鳐鱼（Leucoraja erinacea）相比，生殖活跃（RA）的鳐鱼副性腺白细胞的增殖活性更高，且有更多白细胞从血管外渗。此外，[³H]胸腺嘧啶核苷掺入在RA鳐鱼的副性腺白细胞中比在NRA鳐鱼的白细胞中更多。RA鳐鱼的血浆而非NRA鳐鱼的血浆，在体外可增加副性腺白细胞的增殖，使用无类固醇血浆则未观察到这种效应。与血浆对白细胞增殖的刺激作用相反，体外添加类固醇（雌激素、孕酮、睾酮和地塞米松）会降低[³H]胸腺嘧啶核苷掺入。虽然对类固醇的抑制反应存在季节性变化，但[³H]胸腺嘧啶核苷掺入在RA动物中始终最高，而这些动物的血浆类固醇水平也始终最高。这些研究表明鳐鱼的生殖组织与免疫组织之间存在功能相互作用，并且副性腺组织中的细胞更新可能受性腺活动影响。
