Hypothalamic control of thymic function

Removal of the pituitary gland results in atrophy of the thymus. As the former is under the control of hypothalamus, destruction of anterior portion of the hypothalamus (AHTL) would be expected to negatively influence the thymic function. Contrary to our expectation, however, the thymus became hypertrophic and serum level of growth hormone (GH) markedly increased, when the anterior portion of the hypothalamus was destroyed in rats at 1 month of age and older. The results suggested that AHTL removed the cells secreting GHRIH (growth hormone release inhibitory hormone), but not GHRH (growth hormone releasing hormone), leading to increased pituitary secretion of GH. This high serum level of GH appeared to be responsible for the thymic hyperplasia occurring after AHTL. In other words, the development and aging of the thymus appear to be dependent on the serum level of GH which is under the balance of positive (GHRH) and negative (GHRIH) signals from the hypothalamus. In rats and mice, the serum level of GH is very high just after birth, quickly declines in young adults and does not change greatly thereafter. Thus, it is likely that the initial positive signal is high just after birth and decreasing thereafter with a concomitant increase of negative signal, leading to the onset ofthymic atrophy at around puberty, in association with sex steroid release.