Authors: M PérezPérez O GarcíaSuárez M A BlancoGelaz I Esteban E Ciriaco R Laurà A Germanà I SilosSantiago J A Vega
Publish Date: 2004/03/25
Volume: 316, Issue: 2, Pages: 179-187
Abstract
Whereas it is nowadays clear that neurotrophins are involved in the regulation of various aspects of the functioning of immune system knowledge of their actual immunomodulatory roles is still fragmentary and incomplete In this respect knockout mouse models remain particularly unexplored In the present study the expression of the TrkB neurotrophin receptor in murine spleen was addressed at the mRNA reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction and protein Western blot levels Once the presence of TrkB at both levels was demonstrated the agedependent changes in the pattern of expression of the receptor were analyzed and quantified and TrkBpositive cells were identified by immunohistochemistry TrkBimmunoreactive cells identified as red pulp macrophages were detected in the spleen throughout postnatal development and adult life their numbers peaked at the age of 15 days The absence of functional TrkB did not appear to result in morphological changes as assessed by light and electron microscopy of spleens from 15dayold mice knockout for the trkB gene The present results support the idea that in the murine spleen TrkB and its ligands are involved in macrophage physiology in a developmentally regulated fashion but they do not seem to be essential for macrophage survival
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