Prolactin increases CD4/CD8 cell ratio in thymus-grafted congenitally athymic nude mice

摘要

A 10-fold increase in double-negative CD4~+8~+ thymo- cytes expressing the interleukin 2 receptor α chain, CD25, was also observed concurrently. Our findings illustrate an impor- tant way in which PRL may participate in two interrelated mechanisms: the regulation of peripheral single-positive cells and the maintenance of thymocyte viability during the double- positive stage of intrathymic differentiation.