The Production of T‐Cell‐Inducing Factors in Mice Is Controlled by the Brain Neocortex

Abstract

The synthesis of factors that monitor the expression of the Thy-1 cell surface component by marker-negative precursor cells requires an intact left cerebral cortex, whereas the activity of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, an immunopotentiator that increases this synthesis, seems to require an intact right neocortex. These results suggest a role for the cerebral cortex in the coordinated interregulation of lymphocyte subclasses. The finding extends previous information suggesting relationships between the central nervous system and the T-cell arm of the immune system.

Relation between the site of primary intracranial tumors and mitogenic responses of blood lymphocytes

“…Surgical removal of the cortex in the left, but not the right, hemisphere in mice has been found to reduce T cell and natural killer cell activities [1,27]. The left cortex also seems to release factors which enhance maturation of T cells [28].…”

“…For instance, most patients display a reduced capacity to become sensitized to new antigens like dinitrochlorobenzene [6,7,8,23] and to develop cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity reactions to microbial recall antigens [6,7]. These immunological dysfunctions are probably due to an impairment of the T cell system since blood lymphocytes from such patients exhibit depressed proliferative responses in vitro to polyclonal mitogens such as phyto-hemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A [6, 7 8, 24, 29, 36], bacterial antigens like purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) [6] and in mixed lymphocyte cultures [6,7,28]. Immunosuppressive serum factors have been proposed as the main explanation for the impaired immune responses.…”

Evolution of hemispheric specialisation of antagonistic systems of management of the body's energy resources

“…The first double dissociation was obtained with mice and was published by Renoux, Biziere, Renoux, and Guillaumin (1983a), who explicitly stated that they believed the asymmetric effects consisted of release phenomena in the intact hemisphere. The double dissociation has since been found to be significant in mice in many investigations (Bardos, Degenne, Lebranchu, Bizière, & Renoux, 1981;Barneoud, Neveu, Vitiello, & Le Moal, 1990;Li & Yang, 1987 1987;Renoux et al, 1983a;Renoux, Bizière, Renoux, Guillaumin, & Degenne, 1983b) and in rats (Barneoud, Neveu, Vitiello, & Le Moal, 1988a;Vlajkovic, Nikolic, Nikolic, Milanovic, & Jankovic, 1994). The effect has most often been observed with lesions of the neocortex, but it has also been observed with lesions limited to the nucleus accumbens or substantia nigra.…”

Preclinical psychopharmacology of AIDS-associated dementia: lessons to be learned from the cognitive psychopharmacology of other dementias

“…Alternative approaches to augment the function of residual neurons without disrupting the fundamental signal flow include the modulation of presynaptic, transmitter-releasing mechanisms such as autoreceptor antagonism, or positive modulators of postsynaptic receptor mechanisms, all of which, ideally, augment signal transmission in residual neurons but would not introduce a signal or block afferent signals. Such approaches may remain 'palliative' therapies although, similar to the accumulating evidence that the beneficial effects of cholinomimetic drugs in senile dementia may extend to aetiological mechanisms (Felder et al, 1993;Auld et al, 1998), it may not be excluded that the beneficial systemic immunological effects of reinstating cortical cholinergic function (Renoux et al, 1983;Cherkaoui et al, 1990;Neveu, 1998) generates benefits for HIV infected patients that surpass palliative effects (Fredj et al, 1992).…”