LIN Li-fang, XIAO Bang, ZHAO Shan-min, TANG Qiu, YU Chen-lin, SUN Wei, ZHANG Lu, CAI Li-ping, XU Chen, CHENG Ji-shuai, CUI Shu-fang
Objective To study the normal immunity function level of naked mole rats in growth period and adulthood, detection on mRNA expression levels of immune-related factor was conducted in 6-month and 12-month-old naked mole rats’ peripheral leukocytes. Methods The peripheral blood was collected from orbital venous plexus in 6-months and 12-months-old naked mole rat. Total mRNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes, and reversed into cDNA. Then, mRNA expression levels of IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, TNF-α, IFN-γ was tested by real-time quantitative PCR. Results Apart from IFN-γ, IL-4, which is no significant difference between the groups, the mRNA expression of IL-2, TNF-α of 6-month-old naked mole rats were significantly higher than those of 12-month-old, especially the 6-month-old male group. The expression of IL-1, IL-6 in 6-month-old male group was also significantly higher than those of the 12-month-old groups. In addition, 12-month-old female group had the lowest IL-8 level, and 12-month-old male naked mole rats had the lowest IL-12 level. Conclusion The male naked mole rats in growing period had the higher immune level than their even-aged female and adults, whether in humoral or cellular immunity.