Ohtaki S
Department of Pathology, National Institute of Health, Tokyo, Japan.
Br J Exp Pathol. 1988 Feb;69(1):1-16.
The adrenal and gonadal steroid hormones may continue to regulate lymphoid cells in tissues of mammals throughout their life span. To examine quantitative interrelationships between the endocrine and immune systems, we measured weights of the organs and compared them. The results showed that: (1) The relative weight of the adrenals in adult male hamsters significantly exceeded that of age-matched females. The adult thymus and spleen were heavier in females. (2) Adult gonadectomy induced marked involution of the thymus and adrenal hypertrophy in both sexes. (3) A single oestrone injection at suckling has severe, long lasting effects, with gonadal atrophy and hypertrophy of lymphoid tissues in both sexes for I year. (4) Testosterone in the same way produced adrenal hypertrophy in female hamsters, and adrenal atrophy in males. (5) Thymectomy, at 3 weeks of age, resulted in marked atrophy of the gonads in late adulthood in both sexes. (6) Repeated pulses of cortisone acetate led to marked involution of the thymus and steroid organs, the adrenals and testes. The rather unexpected results, as in (2), (3) and (5), probably represent the ultimate consequence of serial interactions among these organs after treatment. These findings suggest that there is thymus-gonads interdependence even in adulthood, and that subtle counterbalancing co-operation between the adrenals and gonads may regulate lymphocyte functions in tissues. between the adrenals and gonads may regulate lymphocyte functions in tissues.
肾上腺和性腺类固醇激素可能在哺乳动物的整个生命周期中持续调节其组织中的淋巴细胞。为了研究内分泌系统和免疫系统之间的定量相互关系，我们测量了器官的重量并进行比较。结果表明：(1)成年雄性仓鼠肾上腺的相对重量显著超过年龄匹配的雌性。成年雌性的胸腺和脾脏更重。(2)成年去势导致两性的胸腺明显萎缩和肾上腺肥大。(3)哺乳期单次注射雌酮具有严重的、持久的影响，两性的性腺萎缩和淋巴组织肥大持续1年。(4)睾酮以同样的方式使雌性仓鼠肾上腺肥大，雄性仓鼠肾上腺萎缩。(5)3周龄时进行胸腺切除导致成年后期两性性腺明显萎缩。(6)反复注射醋酸可的松导致胸腺以及类固醇器官（肾上腺和睾丸）明显萎缩。如(2)、(3)和(5)中所述的相当意外的结果，可能代表了治疗后这些器官之间一系列相互作用的最终结果。这些发现表明，即使在成年期，胸腺和性腺之间也存在相互依存关系，并且肾上腺和性腺之间微妙的相互平衡合作可能调节组织中的淋巴细胞功能。肾上腺和性腺之间可能调节组织中的淋巴细胞功能。
