gamma-Aminobutyric acid-transaminase activity in the human thymus after administration of interferons

The purpose of this article is to study the amounts of gamma-aminobutyric a cid-transaminase (GABA-t) during immune response in the human thymus. GABA- t Nas studied by biochemical and histochemical methods in 7 immunostimulate d (treated) and 7 non-immunostimulated (untreated) patients (4 young adult, age range: 24-36 years; 3 older adult, age range: 56-66 years). Immunostim ulation was performed using interferon drugs for 6 months. After the histoe nzymatic staining of GABA-t activity, the slides containing the samples of thymus of treated and untreated patients underwent quantitative analysis of images. The present results provide direct evidence chat the immune respon se increases the level of GABA-t contained in vessels, parenchyma and nerve fibers of the thymus. Treatment with interferon is also capable of increas ing the protein content of the thymus. The biochemical data together with t he histoenzymatic results provide evidence for a localization of GABA-t in the thymic gland. Moreover, gamma-aminobutyric acid can be considered as on e of the linking molecules between the immune and nervous functions of the human thymus. Human Immunology 61, 697-704 (2000). (C) American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, 2000. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.