饥饿及复投喂对大黄鱼肠型脂肪酸结合蛋白b基因表达的影响

为从分子水平研究肠型脂肪酸结合蛋白基因(intestines fatty acid-binding protein,IFABP)在鱼类脂代谢中的作用,该研究克隆并获得了1 362 bp大黄鱼I-FABPb基因序列,采用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测了I-FABPb基因在肌肉、肝、肠、胃、性腺、鳃、脑和心脏等8个不同组织中的表达情况,研究了饥饿和复投喂对大黄鱼I-FABPb基因在肠、肌肉和肝中表达的影响。结果显示,I-FABPb基因在8个被检测组织中均有表达,但在肠中表达量最高。饥饿对大黄鱼肠、肌肉和肝中I-FABPb基因表达影响显著,均呈现了先上升后下降的趋势,但在肠中变化最显著;长期饥饿后复投喂,I-FABPb基因在肠、肌肉和肝中的表达量均显著升高(P0.05),且显著高于饥饿0 d的水平(P0.05)。结果表明,饥饿及复投喂明显影响大黄鱼的脂肪代谢,I-FABPb在肠道脂肪代谢中起重要作用。     

饥饿及复投喂对金钱鱼肠型脂肪酸结合蛋白基因表达的影响

为阐明肠型脂肪酸结合蛋白基因(ifabp)在金钱鱼(Scatophagus argus)脂肪代谢中的作用, 从金钱鱼肝脏转录组中得到ifabp的unigene片段, 设计特异引物克隆了金钱鱼2种亚型ifabp基因(ssifabp2a和ssifabp2b), 并分析了这2种基因在雌、雄鱼中的组织分布以及饥饿及复投喂后肝脏和肠道中的表达变化。聚类结果表明, ssifabp2a与其他硬骨鱼类Ifabp2a、Ifabp或IfabpX1聚为一类, ssifabp2b则与其他鱼类的Ifabp2b或Ifabp-like聚为一类。同源性比较发现, ssifabp2a与其他硬骨鱼类Ifabp2a、Ifabp或IfabpX1的同源性为78.8%—87.9%; ssifabp2b与其他硬骨鱼类Ifabp2b或Ifabp-like的同源性为79.5%—87.9%; ssifabp2a与ssifabp2b的同源性为73.5%。RT-PCR发现: 在雄鱼中, ssifabp2a在小肠中表达最强, 在肾和肝脏等表达较弱; ssifabp2b也在小肠中表达最强, 在肝脏、胃和下丘脑等较弱。在雌鱼中, ssifabp2a在胃中表达最强, 在肾、肝脏和下丘脑组织表达较弱, 在其他组织中有微弱表达, 脑垂体中没有检测到表达。与ssifabp2a表达情况不同, ssifabp2b在下丘脑、卵巢、心脏、肠中表达较强, 其他组织中有微弱表达, 鳃中没有检测到表达。饥饿及复投喂结果表明: 在肠中, 饥饿2d后, ssifabp2a表达量显著降低, ssifabp2b无显著性变化; 饥饿7d后, ssifabp2a表达量显著下降, 但ssifabp2b无显著性变化; 在复投喂后, 与7d饥饿相比较, ssifabp2a和ssifabp2b的表达量均显著升高。在肝脏中, 饥饿2d后, ssifabp2a表达量无显著变化, 而ssifabp2b的表达量显著升高; 饥饿7d后, ssifabp2a和ssifabp2b的表达量均显著升高; 在复投喂后, ssifabp2a和ssifabp2b表达均显著下降, 恢复到正常水平。结果表明, 饥饿及复投喂对金钱鱼肝脏和肠道中的ssifabp2a和ssifabp2b的表达具有显著影响, 表明两者都参与了金钱鱼的脂肪代谢调节。     

大黄鱼肌肉生长抑制素1型和2型基因时空表达分析

肌肉生长抑制素(MSTN)是动物肌肉生长发育重要的负调控因子。大黄鱼存在两种类型的肌肉生长抑制素基因,利用RT-PCR技术,本文对这两个基因在胚胎发育过程和成体鱼中的组织特异性表达进行了分析。在6月龄和18月龄大黄鱼中,MSTN-1和-2均在多种组织表达,但肌肉组织中只有MSTN-1表达。在胚胎发育过程中,MSTN-1在囊胚期前表达,在原肠胚期未检出,到出膜期又开始表达,而MSTN-2在整个胚胎发育期均未检出。结果提示,无论在成鱼还是在胚胎发育过程中,两种类型的MSTN具有不同的表达调控机制。     

草鱼两个肌肉生长抑制素cDNA克隆、表达及过量表达对胚胎发育的影响

肌肉生长抑制素(MSTN)是抑制肌肉生长和发育的重要生长调控因子.通过cDNA末端快速扩增法(RACE)克隆草鱼MSTN-1型和MSTN-2型全长cDNA.RT-PCR分析结果表明,MSTN-1在草鱼肌肉、脑和眼中的转录量较高,在肝胰脏、脾脏和心的转录量较低,在肠、腮、性腺和肾中无表达;MSTN-2只在脑和肌内中有表达.在草鱼胚胎发育的0-36 hpf期间,MSTN-1的转录量较低;在胚胎发育的36-48 hpf期间,其转录量呈逐渐升高的趋势;MSTN-2各时相均无表达,可能因为该基因在草鱼胚胎发育过程中不起重要作用.通过分别显微注射MSTN-1型和MSTN-2型mRNA至斑马鱼1-2细胞期胚胎.结果显示,注射MSTN-1型mRNA过表达可导致斑马鱼体节发生期胚胎的前-后轴拉长,背-腹轴变短,脊索轻微扭曲,以及体节发育受到强烈抑制而不分化等现象.注射MSTN-2型mRNA胚胎早期发育有所延迟并未发生明显变化,但发育至60h之后尾部明显发生严重弯曲.     

周期性饥饿再投喂对长蛸存活、生长以及肌肉脂肪酸和氨基酸的影响

在19.8—22.2℃条件下,采用周期性饥饿再投喂的方法,研究不同投喂模式对长蛸[Octopus minor,初始体重(94.29±9.35) g,初始胴背长(53.25±5.25) mm]的存活、生长以及脂肪酸和氨基酸的影响。实验分为4个组包括对照组(持续投喂)、S1F5组(周期性饥饿1d再投喂5d)、S2F4组(周期性饥饿2d再投喂4d)和S3F3组(周期性饥饿3d再投喂3d),持续24d。实验结果如下:随饥饿时间的延长,增重率、肝体比、体重变化量以及终末体重四个指标均呈现出先上升后下降的趋势,其中S1F5组的值均显著高于对照组,而S3F3组的值除肝体比外均显著低于对照组。长蛸的成活率随饥饿时间的增长呈现出下降趋势,但各实验组均与对照组差异不显著;摄食量随饥饿时间的延长,表现出上升趋势,且三个实验组的值均显著高于对照组。在长蛸肌肉脂肪酸中,饱和脂肪酸(SFA)、不饱和脂肪酸(UFA)、单不饱和脂肪酸(MUFA)以及多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFA)的含量均与对照组差异不显著,但S1F5组的值与对照组相比出现了一定程度的升高;在氨基酸含量上,各实验组的必需氨基酸总量(TEAA)、氨基酸总量(...     

饥饿和再投喂对鲇血液生理生化指标的影响

在室内可控条件下,对鲇（Silurus asotusLinnaeus）进行7d、14d和21d的饥饿处理,随后各组恢复投喂20d,研究饥饿和再投喂对鲇血液生理生化指标的影响。结果显示：饥饿过程中,鲇血液红细胞数和血红蛋白14d内上升,血红蛋白上升显著（p〈0.05）,21d后两项生理指标开始下降;饥饿7d后血糖浓度显著下降（p〈0.05）,饥饿14d和21d后趋于相对稳定;总蛋白、白蛋白和球蛋白均呈下降趋势,分别在饥饿的14d、7d和21d后与饥饿前达到显著性差异（p〈0.05）;甘油三酯和总胆固醇分别在饥饿7d和21d后显著下降（p〈0.05）;饥饿14d后Na＋和Cl-浓度显著下降（p〈0.05）,21d后Na＋浓度却又显著上升（p〈0.05）,Cl-浓度有所回升;Ca2＋浓度在饥饿过程中逐渐下降,且差异显著（p〈0.05）。饥饿对K＋浓度和碱性磷酸酶活力没有明显影响。恢复投喂20d后,测定的血液指标均有不同程度的恢复。采用二元三次方程（CUB类型）就各项生理生化指标对饥饿时间（d）进行的回归分析表明,Ca2＋与饥饿时间的决定系数（R2）最大,为0.964,因此将鲇血液的Ca2＋浓度作为其饥饿的评价指标则相对可信。     

大黄鱼肌肉生长抑制素-1前肽原核表达、多克隆抗体制备和功能验证

肌肉生长抑制素(myostatin,MSTN)在动物肌肉的生长和发育过程中起着重要作用。该研究通过RT-PCR从大黄鱼(Larimichthys crocea)肌肉组织中克隆肌肉生长抑制素-1前肽基因(MSTN-1pros),构建了表达大黄鱼生长抑制素前肽的重组质粒,并在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中进行表达,获得了大黄鱼MSTN-1pros融合蛋白。用分离的重组蛋白免疫大白兔,制备了抗大黄鱼MSTN-1pros的多克隆抗体。经蛋白免疫印迹法检测,确定获得的抗体具有较高的特异性。通过对大黄鱼幼鱼的注射实验,发现注射过MSTN-1pros抗体的大黄鱼增重率比对照组降低了20.71%(P0.05),证明MSTN前肽抗体对大黄鱼的生长具有抑制作用。实验结果表明,MSTN前肽蛋白可以用于养殖鱼类的生长调控。     

尼罗罗非鱼Orexin前体基因的克隆、组织分布及其在摄食调控中的表达

该文采用RT-PCR和cDNA末端快速扩增技术(rapid-amplification of cDNA ends,RACE)的方法,从尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)下丘脑总RNA中获得了尼罗罗非鱼Orexin前体基因的cDNA全长序列。该cDNA全长648bp,其中开放阅读框的长423bp,编码Orexin前体蛋白为140个氨基酸,包括37个氨基酸的信号肽、43个氨基酸的Orexin-A、28个氨基酸的Orexin-B和末尾32个氨基酸组成的功能不详的多肽。采用Real-time PCR技术对尼罗罗非鱼Orexin前体基因的组织表达模式以及在摄食前后、饥饿和再投喂状态下的表达量变化进行了研究。结果显示,在脑部和外周等18个组织中都检测到了Orexin前体基因的表达,其中在下丘脑中表达量最高;在摄食前后,尼罗罗非鱼Orexin前体基因的表达量显著低于在摄食状态中;饥饿2、4、6和8d后,Orexin前体基因在下丘脑中的表达量与正常投喂组相比均显著升高,饥饿4d再投喂后,表达量又恢复至正常水平。这些结果表明,Orexin在尼罗罗非鱼摄食中可能有着重要的调节作用。     

补偿生长对异育银鲫IGF-1、IGFBP-1水平及IGF-1、IGF-1RmRNA表达的影响

该实验分析饥饿和恢复投喂对异育银鲫血液IGF-1和IGFBP-1水平和肝脏IGF-1、白肌IGF-1RmRNA表达量的影响。结果显示:饥饿期(14d)血液中IGF-1和IGFBP-1水平逐渐下降,在饥饿第14天均出现显著性降低(P<0.05);恢复投喂后第1天IGF-1迅速恢复到对照组水平,而IGFBP-1水平仍显著低于对照组(P<0.05),随后逐渐升高,直至于恢复投喂第14天后显著高于对照组水平(P<0.05);饥饿期肝脏IGF-1mRNA表达量呈下降趋势,但与对照组无显著性差异(P>0.05);恢复投喂初期(第1、3天),IGF-1mRNA表达量仍继续下降(P<0.05),对营养条件的变化反应滞后,至第7天,表达水平恢复到对照组水平。白肌IGF-1RmRNA表达水平在饥饿第3天出现显著性下降(P<0.05),继续饥饿其水平出现补偿性升高;恢复投喂后第14天IGF-1RmRNA表达量显著高于对照组水平(P<0.05)。该结果揭示恢复投喂期高水平的IGFBP-1含量和IGF-1RmRNA表达量可能通过提高IGF-1的促生长作用参与异育银鲫的补偿生长调节。     

NPY和POMC基因在生长差异与饥饿再摄食鳙个体中的表达分析

为研究摄食促进基因和摄食抑制基因对鱼类生长调控和饥饿再摄食过程的影响,研究克隆了鳙神经肽Y(HynNPY)基因和前阿黑皮素原(HynPOMC)基因cDNA序列,采用qRT-PCR技术分析它们在生长显著差异鳙个体下丘脑、肠中的基因表达变化;设置对照组(连续投喂4周)、饥饿组、饥饿再摄食组,分析NPY和POMC在不同处理组鳙的下丘脑、肠中的基因表达变化。鳙NPY和POMC基因cDNA全长分别为839和799 bp,开放阅读框有291和657 bp,分别编码96和218个氨基酸。系统进化分析结果表明,鳙NPY和POCM基因具有高度保守性。鳙NPY在下丘脑的表达量最高,其次为肠和脑; POMC在肠道中的表达量最高,其次为下丘脑和肝脏。在相同环境下生长差异鳙个体的下丘脑和肠中, NPY在极大个体的表达量高于极小组个体, POMC在极小个体中的表达量高于极大个体。饥饿导致NPY在下丘脑表达上升,在肠表达量显著上升,恢复摄食后, NPY在下丘脑和肠中表达量下降; POMC在饥饿组下丘脑和肠中都表现为表达量呈显著上升,复投喂后POMC表达量逐步下降至接近对照组水平。肠组织学观察显示,极大个体的肠腔直径...     

Myostatin (MSTN) gene duplications in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar): evidence for different selective pressure on teleost MSTN-1 and -2

Whereas the negative muscle regulator myostatin (MSTN) in mammals is almost exclusively expressed in the muscle by a single encoding gene, teleost fish possess at least two MSTN genes which are differentially expressed in both muscular and non-muscular tissues. Duplicated MSTN-1 genes have previously been identified in the tetraploid salmonid genome. From Atlantic salmon we succeeded in isolating the paralogous genes of MSTN-2, which shared about 70% identity with MSTN-1a and -1b. The salmon MSTN-2a cDNA encoded a predicted protein of 363 residues and included the conserved C-terminal bioactive domain. MSTN-2a seemed to be primarily expressed in the brain, and a functional role of teleost MSTN-2 in the neurogenesis similar to the inhibitory action of the closely related GDF-11 in the mammalian brain was proposed. In contrast, a frame-shift mutation in exon 1 of salmon MSTN-2b would lead to the synthesis of a putatively non-functional truncated protein. The absence of processed MSTN-2b mRNA in the examined tissues indicated that this gene has become a non-functional pseudogene. The differential, but partially overlapping, expression patterns of salmon MSTN-2a, -1a and -1b in muscular and non-muscular tissues are probably due to the different arrangement of the potential cis-acting regulatory elements identified in their putative promoter regions. Single and paired E-boxes in the MSTN-1b promoter were shown to bind both homo-and hetero-dimers of the myogenic regulatory factor MyoD and E47 in vitro of importance for initiating the myogenic program. Analyses of nucleotide substitution patterns indicated that the teleost MSTNs essentially have evolved under purifying selection, but a subset of amino acid sites under positive selective pressure were identified within the MSTN1 branch. The results may reflect the evolutionary forces related to adoption of the different functional roles proposed for the teleost MSTN isoforms. The phylogenetic analysis of multiple vertebrate MSTNs suggested at least two separate gene duplication events in the fish lineage. Linkage analysis of polymorphic microsatellites within intron 2 of salmon MSTN-1a and -1b mapped the two genes to different linkage groups in agreement with the tetraploid origin of the duplicated salmonid MSTN-1 and MSTN-2 genes.     

Phylogenetic analysis of the myostatin gene sub-family and the differential expression of a novel member in zebrafish

The myostatin (MSTN)-null phenotype in mammals is characterized by extreme gains in skeletal muscle mass or "double muscling" as the cytokine negatively regulates skeletal muscle growth. Recent attempts, however, to reproduce a comparable phenotype in zebrafish have failed. Several aspects of MSTN biology in the fishes differ significantly from those in mammals and at least two distinct paralogs have been identified in some species, which possibly suggests functional divergence between the different vertebrate classes or between fish paralogs. We therefore conducted a phylogenetic analysis of the entire MSTN gene sub-family. Maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and bootstrap analyses indicated a monophyletic distribution of all MSTN genes with two distinct fish clades: MSTN-1 and -2. These analyses further indicated that all Salmonid genes described are actually MSTN-1 orthologs and that additional MSTN-2 paralogs may be present in most, if not all, teleosts. An additional zebrafish homolog was identified by BLAST searches of the zebrafish Hierarchical Tets Generation System database and was subsequently cloned. Comparative sequence analysis of both genes (zebrafish MSTN (zfMSTN)-1 and -2) revealed many differences, primarily within the latency-associated peptide regions, but also within the bioactive domains. The 2-kb promoter region of zfMSTN-2 contained many putative cis regulatory elements that are active during myogenesis, but are lacking in the zfMSTN-1 promoter. In fact, zfMSTN-2 expression was limited to the early stages of somitogenesis, whereas zfMSTN-1 was expressed throughout embryogenesis. These data suggest that zfMSTN-2 may be more closely associated with skeletal muscle growth and development. They also resolve the previous ambiguity in classification of fish MSTN genes.     

功能矫形前伸青春期大鼠下颌后浅层嚼肌细胞凋亡的研究

目的：研究功能矫形前伸大鼠下颌后浅层嚼肌细胞凋亡的变化规律,探讨功能矫形的肌肉改建机理。方法：选用50只5周龄Sprague-Dawley（SD）雄性大白鼠,随机分为实验组和对照组各25只。实验组大鼠戴自制上颌功能矫治嚣,引导下颌前伸,并打开咬合。利用RT-PCR方法检测两组大鼠浅层嚼肌Bcl-2和Bax基因表达情况,利用TUNEL方法检测浅层嚼肌细胞凋亡情况。结果：①Bcl-2和Bax基因表达随大鼠戴用矫治器时间的延长而升高,至第3周开始下降但仍高于对照组,但Bax的表达高于Bcl-2。Bax/Bcl-2比值随大鼠戴用矫治器时间的延长而升高,至第4周开始下降。②TUNEL实验结果显示浅层嚼肌细胞在戴用矫治器1天后,开始出现凋亡,随着时间延长而增加,至第3周达到顶峰,第4周开始下降。结论：①Bax/Bcl-2比值升高促进浅层嚼肌细胞凋亡。②功能矫形可引起浅层嚼肌细胞凋亡,导致肌肉的结构和功能发生适应性改建。     

The influence of prolonged cimetidine administration on serum gastrin levels and gastric acid secretion in rats.

The correlation between serum gastrin levels and gastric acid secretion during 4 weeks of cimetidine administration (once daily) was investigated. Serum gastrin levels and gastric acid secretion were estimated on the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th day after cimetidine administration (25 mg.kg-1, intragastrically). At the mentioned time intervals gastric acid secretion stimulated by histamine and pentagastrin was also studied. It was found that on the 14th and 21st day after cimetidine administration serum gastrin levels were significantly elevated. Basal gastric acid secretion after cimetidine administration was significantly decreased at all the observed time intervals. Histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion was increased on the 14th, 21st and 28th day after cimetidine administration. Hypoacidity was not followed at all time intervals by hypergastrinaemia (only on day 14 and 21 after cimetidine).     

Effects of immunoactivity on Ascaris suum infection in mice]

The immune response to sheep red blood cell (sRBC) was monitored in the mice infected with Ascaris suum or Trichinella spiralis. The effects of the infection with T. spiralis or the injection with cyclophosphamide(CY) as an immunosuppression agent prior to challenge infection with the embryonated eggs of A. suum were monitored in mice by means of the level of infection with A. suum and cellular and humoral immune response to sRBC. Following the oral administration of 1,000 eggs of A. suum to mice, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and rosette-forming rate were gradually decreased and reached to the lowest levels at the 5th week and 6th week postinfection, respectively, and then returned to normal at the 10th week. The hemagglutinin(HA) and hemolysin(HE) titers were gradually elevated and reached to peak at the 3rd week postinfection, and then returned to normal level. The appearance ratios of the eosinophils and mast cells were in peak at the 4th week and the 2nd week postinfection, respectively. Meanwhile the harvest ratio of A. suum larvae from the liver and lungs was 21.97% at the 1st week postinfection. Following the oral administration of 300 T. spiralis infective larvae, DTH and rosette-forming rate were gradually decreased with the lapse of time and reached the lowest values in the 30th and 21st day of postinfection, and then slightly increased and transiently decreased in the 70th and 80th day of postinfection, respectively. HA and HE titers were the lowest in the 21st and 90th day, whereas the ratios of eosinophils and mast cells were the highest on the 40th and 14th day postinfection, respectively. Following the intraperitoneal injection of CY, the body weight, the spleen weight, DTH, rosette-forming ratio, HA and HE titers, the number of WBC and the ratio of the mast cell were predominantly decreased in the 5th day, and then returned to the same value of the 1st day postinjection. The ratio of eosinophils was gradually decreased following to advance of days. At the 1st, 5th and 10th days after intraperitoneal injection of CY of 400 mg/kg, a dose with 1,000 eggs of A. suum was administered orally to mice, and harvest rate of the larvae at the 7th day postadministration was 7.07% in the 1st day, 14.94% in the 5th day, 10.1% in the 10th day, 8.02% in control group. The effect of prior infection with infective larvae of T. spiralis upon immunological sequelae of a challenge infection of mice with embryonated eggs of A. suum in 30 or 70 days interval was checked.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

实验性肺纤维化大鼠发病过程中肺组织FIZZ1蛋白和mRNA表达的动态变化

为了探讨FIZZ1（found in inflammatory zone 1）在肺纤维化发病中的作用,应用博莱霉素（5mg／kg体重）气管内注入复制实聆性人鼠肺纤维化模犁,采用HE染色、Masson三联染色、羟脯氨酸含量测定、免疫组织化学染色、原位杂交等方法,观察实验性人鼠肺纤维化的发病过程及其肺组织中FIZZ1蛋白、mRNA表达水平的动态变化。结果显示：（1）实验性人鼠肺纤维化发病过程中,呈现舆型的肺泡炎（7d）、纤维组织增生（14～2ld）及稳定的肺纤维化（28d）等表现;（2）FIZZ1蛋白在正常肺组织表达较弱,存肺纤维化组7d时表达明显增强,14d时较7d时有所减弱,21及28d明显减弱;（3）FIZZ1 mRNA在正常肺组织巾表达较弱,在肺纤维化组7d时表达明显增强,14d时开始减弱,2l及28d明显减弱,但仍强于正常组。上述结果提示,FIZZ1蛋白和mRNA在实验性大鼠肺纤维化发病过程中呈现明显的动态变化,并可能参与了肺纤维化的发生。     

小鼠生精细胞增殖与凋亡的年龄变化

为研究雄性小鼠睾丸在发生,发育过程生精细胞增殖与凋亡的年龄变化,本研究采用了免疫细胞化学,凋亡细胞原位检测,电镜及体视学图象分析等方法,对胚胎15天到生后10月后发育阶段生精细胞的超微结构,PCNA表达,凋亡情况进行了较深入地研究,结果：（1）精原细胞PCNA反应在胚胎15天为阳性,从胚胎18天到生后5天,降为弱阳性,而阳性的精原细胞在生后7天重新出现,一直到生后6月,仍可见部分精原细胞呈阳性反应;（2）生后3天,可见凋亡的精原细胞染色质浓缩,核膜出现明显的核周隙,核碎裂,凋亡细胞数从生后1天到生后第3周有增加的趋势,于生后第3周出现峰值,之后降低,之后降低,结论：（1）PCNA阳性细胞而密度到生后第2周出现峰值,而凋亡细胞数于生后3周出现峰值,生精细胞凋亡的高峰要滞后其增殖峰1周左右,而且与其所处生精周期的特定阶段有关;（2）精原细胞在胚胎发育过程中向曲细精管周边迁移,其排列由无序到有序;（3）在生后各发育 ,精原细胞始终保持DNA复制的能力。     

Expression of PAC1 receptor in rat thymus after irradiation

In the present work, PAC1-R (G-protein-coupled receptor specific for PACAP) was detected on cells in the normal thymus. Immunohistochemically PAC1-R was expressed strongly in stromal cells of the thymic medulla. Positive cells were also observed in the thymus of fetal and old adult rats. After 8 Gy irradiation to 9-week-old rats, PAC1-R expressions in the thymus decreased and almost recovered by day 21. The expression of PAC1-R mRNA was weak in the thymus and decreased further after irradiation. The expression almost recovered by day 28. Hip and hip/hop variants, which were not expressed in the normal thymus, were expressed in the thymus on days 3, 5 and 21 after irradiation. The expressions of IL-6 and IL-10 tended to increase initially after irradiation then decreased. Histologically, the thymic structures were destroyed on day 3 after irradiation and the thymus almost recovered by day 21. Thus PACAP is thought to be one of the important factors for cross-talk between cells involved in thymic regeneration.