CX3CL1–CX3CR1 axis promotes restraint stress-induced thymic involution through macrophage-mediated thymocyte apoptosis
BackgroundStress-induced thymic involution is characterized by rapid thymocyte loss and is largely attributed to glucocorticoid signaling. However, the local immune mechanisms involved remain unclear. We investigated the role of the CX3CL1–CX3CR1 axis …