The Effect Of Non-neuronal Acetylcholine On The Proliferation And Differentiation Of Thymus Cells In Rats

Background and objectiveAcetylcholine(ACh) is regarded as a classical neurotransmitter. However recent researches demonstrates it is also synthesised in mammalian non-neuronal cells. Lymphocytes express most components of the cholinergic system including acetylcholine (ACh), muscarinic and nicotinic ACh receptors (mAChRs and nAChRs, respectively), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), high affinity choline transporter and acetylcholinesterase, which called non-neuronal cholinergic system. In some study, the ACh production does increased in the thymocyte stimulated with PHA. But the role that ACh played in the immune system is not very clear. And most research focus on the peripheral immune system. This experiment is to study the effect of ACh on the differentiation and viability of thymocyte. And the pathway is also explored preliminary.MethodsIsolated from the rat thymus, the cells were activated by PHA and cultured in virtro. They were divided into groups:group A, control group; group B, atropine; group C, vecuronium bromide; group D, atropine and vecuronium bromide. The viability is detected with Cell Counting Kit-8, the differentiation is detected by flow cytomery.Results1. The viability of group B is significantly lower than the other groups(P<0.05).2. The viability of group C is significantly higher than the other groups(P<0.05).3. The proportion of CD3+CD4+T-cell shows no significant difference among the4groups(P>0.05).4. The proportion of CD3+CD8+T-cell shows no significant difference among the4groups(P>0.05).5. the ratio of CD3+CD4+T-cell to CD3+CD8+T-cell shows no difference among the4group (P>0.05)Conclusion1. It can enhance the viability of the rat thymocyte, stimulating MAChRs. So ACh can enhance immune reaction.2. It can recede the viability of the rat thymocyte, stimulating NAChRs. So ACh can decrease immune reaction.3. After stimulating by PHA, ACh do not show any effect on the viability of rat thymocyte, so there is a balance between MAChR and NAChR to regular the effect of ACh.4. ACh do not have effect on the differentiation of rat CD3+CD8+T-cell.5. ACh do not have effect on the differentiation of rat CD3+CD4+T-cell.6. ACh do not show incline on the differentiation between rat CD3+CD8+T-cell and CD3+CD4+T-cell...