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Effect of cathepsin B on thymocyte apoptosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats
1Department of Physiology, Medical Center of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Aim:
To further investigate the mechanism of the thymus dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Methods:
The location of cathepsin B expression was determined by in situ hybridization. The expression of cathepsin B was analyzed by Northern blot, and thymocyte apoptosis was detected by TUNEL and flow cytometer, respectively.
Results:
The expression of cathepsin B in thymus paralleled with thymocyte apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Cathepsin B transcripts were located in the plasma of thymocytes and were more over-expressed of 6- and 8-week-old SHR than those in the thymus of WKY.
Conclusion:
Thymocyte apoptosis in SHR is increased and this phenomenon is associated with the expression of cathepsin B.