Morphological Quantitative Changes in the Number of Lymphocytes, Macrophages and Plasma Cells in the Uterus and Lymph Nodes of Rats Exposed to the Systemic Administration of BCG

Mehmet Kanter, Kanter M, Gul A, Abdülaziz Gül, Abdulaziz Gul, Meral I, İsmail Meral, KOC A, Ahmet Koc, Ahmet Köç, Ilhan M, Mahmut İlhan, Ender Erdoğan, Ender Erdogan
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine · 2003 · vol. 199(4) , pp. 219–228 · doi:10.1620/tjem.199.219 · PMID:12857062 · W2020615315
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Systemic BCG administration significantly increased lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells in rat uteri and lymph nodes, indicating a heightened humoral and cellular immune response.

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The paper studied whether systemic administration of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) alters the number of immune cell populations—ANAE-positive T lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells—in the uterus and regional (ileocecal) lymph nodes of female virgin Wistar rats, using histological staining methods. Thirty rats were assigned to BCG-treated versus saline controls, injected intradermally with either BCG or saline, and examined two weeks later for changes in immune cell quantities. The study found significantly increased numbers of T lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells in both uterine tissues and ileocecal lymph nodes after BCG, consistent with a humoral and cellular immune response. The paper links its findings to endometrium and myometrium and, while based on an animal model and immune-cell morphology rather than endometriosis endpoints, it states that the immune system plays a role in endometriosis and suggests BCG might prevent it. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it discusses immune modulation relevant to endometriosis pathogenesis and potential prevention via systemic BCG.

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Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effect of systemic administration of BCG on the morphological quantitative changes in the number of lymphocytes, macrophages and plasma cells in the uterus and lymph nodes of rats. Thirty female virgin Wistar Albino rats, aging 6 months and weighing between 200-250 g, were assigned to the two experimental groups; BCG treated and controls (n = 15). BCG group received 0.1 ml BCG in tail skin and control group received 0.1 ml saline at the same place. Two weeks after injections, rats in both groups were anesthesized with a high dose of ether and decapitated. Uterus and ileocecal lymph nodes were processed to determine a napthyl acid esterase (ANAE)-positive T lymphocytes and macrophages. The plasma cells were stained with the methyl green-pyronin method. It was found that the numbers of T lymphocytes, macrophages and plasma cells in the uterus and the ileocecal lymph nodes of BCG treated group significantly increased indicating the presence of an immune response to the systemic BCG administration. It was concluded that the systemic administration of BCG increases humoral and cellular immunity in endometrium, myometrium and regional lymph nodes. The immune deficiency system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Therefore, the endometriosis might be prevented by using periodical administration of BCG. However, further experimental and clinical studies associated with these issue are required.
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Regular Contributions Morphological Quantitative Changes in the Number of Lymphocytes, Macrophages and Plasma Cells in the Uterus and Lymph Nodes of Rats Exposed to the Systemic Administration of BCG 2003 Volume 199 Issue 4 Pages 219-228 Details Abstract This study was designed to investigate the effect of systemic administration of BCG on the morphological quantitative changes in the number of lymphocytes, macrophages and plasma cells in the uterus and lymph nodes of rats. Thirty female virgin Wistar Albino rats, aging 6 months and weighing between 200-250 g, were assigned to the two experimental groups; BCG treated and controls (n=15). BCG group received 0.1 ml BCG in tail skin and control group received 0.1 ml saline at the same place. Two weeks after injections, rats in both groups were anesthesized with a high dose of ether and decapitated. Uterus and ileocecal lymph nodes were processed to determine α napthyl acid esterase (ANAE)-positive T lymphocytes and macrophages. The plasma cells were stained with the methyl green-pyronin method. It was found that the numbers of T lymphocytes, macrophages and plasma cells in the uterus and the ileocecal lymph nodes of BCG treated group significantly increased indicating the presence of an immune response to the systemic BCG administration. It was concluded that the systemic administration of BCG increases humoral and cellular immunity in endometrium, myometrium and regional lymph nodes. The immune deficiency system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Therefore, the endometriosis might be prevented by using periodical administration of BCG. However, further experimental and clinical studies associated with these issue are required. © 2003 Tohoku University Medical Press Favorites & Alerts Recently viewed articles - About this Journal The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine (TJEM) was founded in 1920 by professors of Tohoku Imperial University, Medical School. The TJEM has been published continuously, except for the year of 1946 just after the World War II. The TJEM is open to original articles in all branches of medical sciences. The TJEM also covers the fields of disaster-prevention science, including earthquake archeology. - Submitted manuscripts will be screened for plagiarism with Similarity Check (https://www.crossref.org/services/similarity-check/). Announcements from publisher - Subscriptions Inland subscriptions should be sent to Tohoku University Medical Press, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, JAPAN. Subscriptions from abroad should be addressed to MARUZEN CO., LTD., EXPORT DEPARTMENT, Postal address: P.O.Box 75, Shinagawa, Tokyo 140-8799, JAPAN. e-mail: [email protected]

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

BCG Vaccine Lymph Nodes Lymph Nodes Lymphocytes Macrophages Mycobacterium Infections Plasma Cells Uterus Uterus Animals Endometrium Endometrium Endometrium Female Lymph Nodes Lymphocyte Count Lymphocytes Macrophages Mycobacterium Infections Myometrium

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