Date of Award
2005
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Biology
Abstract
Stress causes alterations to the immune system. These alterations have lead to increased susceptibility to antigens. The present study explores shifts in T helper (TH) cell balance (TH1 and TH2), through their cytokine expression. This study was performed in three phases, and focused mainly on animals subjected to a 10 day a chronic unpredictable stress paradigm. Phase one used ELISAs to confirm the cytokine profile produced from TH 1 and TH2 murine cell-lines. Phase two used SDS PAGE and Western Immunoblotting to show that splenocytes from Long Evan's Hooded rats subjected to the stress paradigm, had decreased in intercellular in IL-4. Phase three used ELISAs to show inhibition to IL-10 secretion in response to stress, with additional alteration noted in IFNgamma in response to isolation. These results suggest that stress and isolation cause changing cytokine secretion profiles by T helper cells, which alters the immune response.
Recommended Citation
Zanetti, Dina, "Cytokine Expression by T. Helper Cells Responding to Stress" (2005). Master's Theses. 1252.
https://scholarship.richmond.edu/masters-theses/1252