Thy 1 expression in the brain of nude mice

The expression and cell distribution of Thy 1 antigen was studied in the brain of both normal and athymic (nude) young adult mice of the BALB/c strain by immunochemistry. In nude animals Thy 1 fluorescence was less intense and less regularly distributed in the molecular layer of the cerebellum and hippocampus. Thy 1 content determined by ELISA was lower by 10-16% in the cerebellum and 20-25% in the olfactory bulbs of nude mice. The total wet weight of the brain was lower by 16% than in control animals; the deficit in body weight ranged from 34-45%. It is supposed that the changes in Thy 1 expression in nude animals are caused mainly by the underdevelopment of late developing brain regions due to thermoregulatory problems and other postnatal strains occurring in the mutants.