Age-related thymic atrophy in the guinea pig

We have characterized age-related thymic atrophy in the guinea pig, includi ng identification of antibodies that allow immunohistochemical assessment o f thymopoiesis. Age-related thymic atrophy in guinea pigs more closely rese mbles what occurs in humans histologically and in thymus weight, cellularit y, and percent functional area than do other rodent models. The guinea pig model is thus particularly well-suited to study the role of the thymic peri vascular space in age-related thymic atrophy. We next tested the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with Vitamin C could prevent or delay age-rel ated thymic atrophy. Thymus histology, weight, cellularity, and percent fun ctional area did not differ at 12 months between groups that received 3, 30 , or 150 mg Vitamin C daily from 4 months of age. Thus long-term supplement ation with up to 130 mg/kg/day Vitamin C is insufficient to influence the t ime course and extent of age-related thymic atrophy in guinea pigs, (C) 200 1 Elsevier Science Ltd, All rights reserved.