Identification and analysis of expressed genes using a cDNA library from rat thymus during regeneration following cyclophosphamide-induced T cell depletion

Abstract

Understanding the mechanisms of thymus regeneration is necessary for designing strategies to enhance host immunity when immune function is suppressed due to T cell depletion. In this study, expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis was performed following generation of a regenerating thymus cDNA library to identify genes expressed in thymus regeneration. A total of 1,000 ESTs were analyzed, of which 770 (77%) matched to known genes, 178 matched to unknown genes (17.8%) and 52(5.2%) did not match any known sequences. The ESTs matched to known genes were grouped into eight functional categories: gene/protein synthesis (28%), metabolism (24%), cell signaling and communication (17%), cell structure and motility (6%), cell/organism defense and homeostasis (6%), cell division (3%), cell death/apoptosis (2%), and unclassified genes (14%). Based on the data of RT-PCR analysis, the expression of TLP, E2IG2, pincher, Paip2,TGF-beta 1, 4-1BB and laminin alpha 3 genes was increased during thymus regeneration. These results provide extensive molecular information, for the first time, on thymus regeneration indicating that the regenerating thymus cDNA library may be a useful source for identifying various genes expressed during thymus regeneration.