U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

Acute Thymic Involution

MedGen UID:
233954
•Concept ID:
C1332162
•
Disease or Syndrome

Definition

The sudden shrinking and/or complete disappearance of the thymus gland; this often happens as a response to a physiologic stressor, such as infection or malnutrition. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVAcute Thymic Involution

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

A Proposed Link Between Acute Thymic Involution and Late Adverse Effects of Chemotherapy.
Lagou MK, Anastasiadou DP, Karagiannis GS
Front Immunol 2022;13:933547. Epub 2022 Jul 1 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.933547. PMID: 35844592Free PMC Article
Imiquimod-induced dermatitis impairs thymic tolerance of autoreactive CD4(+) T cells to desmoglein 3.
Iriki H, Mukai M, Ito H, Kurebayashi Y, Amagai M, Takahashi H
J Dermatol Sci 2020 Dec;100(3):166-174. Epub 2020 Sep 24 doi: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2020.09.007. PMID: 33023784
Do Increased Intra-alveolar Squamous Cells at Autopsy Correlate With Acute Fetal Asphyxia?
Jacques SM, Qureshi F
Pediatr Dev Pathol 2020 Mar-Apr;23(2):139-143. Epub 2019 Aug 28 doi: 10.1177/1093526619872617. PMID: 31461388
Adrenal Histologic Stress-related Changes in Third Trimester Stillbirth.
Jacques SM, Qureshi F
Pediatr Dev Pathol 2017 Mar-Apr;20(2):112-119. Epub 2017 Jan 25 doi: 10.1177/1093526616686252. PMID: 28326964
Acute thymic involution in fetuses and neonates with chorioamnionitis.
Toti P, De Felice C, Stumpo M, Schürfeld K, Di Leo L, Vatti R, Bianciardi G, Buonocore G, Seemayer TA, Luzi P
Hum Pathol 2000 Sep;31(9):1121-8. doi: 10.1053/hupa.2000.16676. PMID: 11014581

Diagnosis

A Proposed Link Between Acute Thymic Involution and Late Adverse Effects of Chemotherapy.
Lagou MK, Anastasiadou DP, Karagiannis GS
Front Immunol 2022;13:933547. Epub 2022 Jul 1 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.933547. PMID: 35844592Free PMC Article
Do Increased Intra-alveolar Squamous Cells at Autopsy Correlate With Acute Fetal Asphyxia?
Jacques SM, Qureshi F
Pediatr Dev Pathol 2020 Mar-Apr;23(2):139-143. Epub 2019 Aug 28 doi: 10.1177/1093526619872617. PMID: 31461388
Adrenal Histologic Stress-related Changes in Third Trimester Stillbirth.
Jacques SM, Qureshi F
Pediatr Dev Pathol 2017 Mar-Apr;20(2):112-119. Epub 2017 Jan 25 doi: 10.1177/1093526616686252. PMID: 28326964
Thymic pathology in placental abruption: an autopsy study of third trimester stillborns in a predominantly African-American population.
Jacques SM, Qureshi F
J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2016 Oct;29(20):3299-303. Epub 2015 Dec 23 doi: 10.3109/14767058.2015.1123245. PMID: 26586552
Promotional etiology for common childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: the infective lymphoid recovery hypothesis.
Richardson RB
Leuk Res 2011 Nov;35(11):1425-31. Epub 2011 Sep 7 doi: 10.1016/j.leukres.2011.07.023. PMID: 21903265

Therapy

Systemic immunostimulation induces glucocorticoid-mediated thymic involution succeeded by rebound hyperplasia which is impaired in aged recipients.
Collins CP, Khuat LT, Sckisel GD, Vick LV, Minnar CM, Dunai C, Le CT, Curti BD, Crittenden M, Merleev A, Sheng M, Chao NJ, Maverakis E, Rosario SR, Monjazeb AM, Blazar BR, Longo DL, Canter RJ, Murphy WJ
Front Immunol 2024;15:1429912. Epub 2024 Sep 9 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1429912. PMID: 39315105Free PMC Article
A Proposed Link Between Acute Thymic Involution and Late Adverse Effects of Chemotherapy.
Lagou MK, Anastasiadou DP, Karagiannis GS
Front Immunol 2022;13:933547. Epub 2022 Jul 1 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.933547. PMID: 35844592Free PMC Article
Imiquimod-induced dermatitis impairs thymic tolerance of autoreactive CD4(+) T cells to desmoglein 3.
Iriki H, Mukai M, Ito H, Kurebayashi Y, Amagai M, Takahashi H
J Dermatol Sci 2020 Dec;100(3):166-174. Epub 2020 Sep 24 doi: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2020.09.007. PMID: 33023784
Early activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis in very-low-birth-weight infants with small thymus at birth.
de Felice C, Toti P, Musarò M, Peruzzi L, Paffetti P, Pasqui L, Magaldi R, Bagnoli F, Rinaldi M, Rinaldi G, Grilli G, Tonni G, Latini G
J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2008 Apr;21(4):251-4. doi: 10.1080/14767050801927871. PMID: 18330821

Prognosis

Acute thymic involution in unexplained third trimester stillbirth: frequency, grade, and correlation with neuropathologic injury.
Jacques SM, Kupsky WJ, Qureshi F
Pediatr Dev Pathol 2015 May-Jun;18(3):210-7. Epub 2015 Feb 10 doi: 10.2350/14-11-1577-OA.1. PMID: 25668742
Early activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis in very-low-birth-weight infants with small thymus at birth.
de Felice C, Toti P, Musarò M, Peruzzi L, Paffetti P, Pasqui L, Magaldi R, Bagnoli F, Rinaldi M, Rinaldi G, Grilli G, Tonni G, Latini G
J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2008 Apr;21(4):251-4. doi: 10.1080/14767050801927871. PMID: 18330821
Small thymus at birth: a predictive radiographic sign of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
De Felice C, Latini G, Del Vecchio A, Toti P, Bagnoli F, Petraglia F
Pediatrics 2002 Aug;110(2 Pt 1):386-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.110.2.386. PMID: 12165595

Clinical prediction guides

Systemic immunostimulation induces glucocorticoid-mediated thymic involution succeeded by rebound hyperplasia which is impaired in aged recipients.
Collins CP, Khuat LT, Sckisel GD, Vick LV, Minnar CM, Dunai C, Le CT, Curti BD, Crittenden M, Merleev A, Sheng M, Chao NJ, Maverakis E, Rosario SR, Monjazeb AM, Blazar BR, Longo DL, Canter RJ, Murphy WJ
Front Immunol 2024;15:1429912. Epub 2024 Sep 9 doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1429912. PMID: 39315105Free PMC Article
Do Increased Intra-alveolar Squamous Cells at Autopsy Correlate With Acute Fetal Asphyxia?
Jacques SM, Qureshi F
Pediatr Dev Pathol 2020 Mar-Apr;23(2):139-143. Epub 2019 Aug 28 doi: 10.1177/1093526619872617. PMID: 31461388
Acute Thymic Involution and Mechanisms for Recovery.
Ansari AR, Liu H
Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2017 Oct;65(5):401-420. Epub 2017 Mar 22 doi: 10.1007/s00005-017-0462-x. PMID: 28331940
Immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF), and its receptors (VEGFR1, 2) in normal and pathologic conditions of the human thymus.
Cimpean AM, Raica M, Encica S, Cornea R, Bocan V
Ann Anat 2008;190(3):238-45. Epub 2008 Feb 1 doi: 10.1016/j.aanat.2007.05.003. PMID: 18356031
Early activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis in very-low-birth-weight infants with small thymus at birth.
de Felice C, Toti P, Musarò M, Peruzzi L, Paffetti P, Pasqui L, Magaldi R, Bagnoli F, Rinaldi M, Rinaldi G, Grilli G, Tonni G, Latini G
J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2008 Apr;21(4):251-4. doi: 10.1080/14767050801927871. PMID: 18330821

Supplemental Content

Table of contents

    Related information

    • PMC Articles
      Related information in PubMed Central Links
    • PubMed
      Related literature resources in PubMed

    Recent activity

    Clear Turn Off Turn On

    Your browsing activity is empty.

    Activity recording is turned off.

    Turn recording back on

    See more...