Modulatory effect of monosodium glutamate on rat thymocyte proliferation and apoptosis.

Abstract

These results indicate that MSG significantly modulates thymocyte proliferation by modulating the apoptosis rate of the cells. The temporal profile of Bcl-2 and Bax expression, after MSG treatment, suggest that down regulation of Bcl-2 protein and resulting change of Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio may be an important event in thymocyte apoptosis, triggered by MSG (Tab. 1, Fig. 3, Ref. 36).