Glucocorticoid receptors are differentially expressed in the cells and tissues of the immune system. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Cytosolic glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binding studies on immune tissues demonstrate that the thymus exhibits three to four times higher levels of GR protein than the spleen. High levels of GR are consistent with the exquisite sensitivity of the thymus to glucocorticoid exposure. Nevertheless, whole cell binding studies reveal similar levels of GR in immature thymic T lymphocytes and more mature, splenic T lymphocytes. Moreover, whole cell binding techniques indicate that neutrophils (which represent roughly 30% of splenic leukocytes) exhibit higher GR than both T and B lymphocytes, further contradicting results from cytosolic binding studies. To address these inconsistencies, GR protein was assessed in immune cells and tissues using cytosolic radioligand binding. Western blot analysis, and immunocytochemistry. Consistent with previous cytosolic receptor binding studies on immune tissue homogenates, thymic T cells were found to have higher levels of GR than T cells isolated from the spleen. In addition, neutrophils were found to have fewer GR than lymphocytes and monocytes. These results indicate a meaningful relationship between receptor expression and known sensitivity to glucocorticoids.

publication date

  • May 25, 1998

Research

keywords

  • Lymph Nodes
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid
  • Spleen
  • Thymus Gland

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0032565612

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1006/cimm.1998.1293

PubMed ID

  • 9637764

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 186

issue

  • 1