Journal
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS JOURNAL
Volume 12, Issue 5, Pages 558-564Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
DOI: 10.1177/1352458506070763
Keywords
cytokine; EAE/MS; INF-gamma; MHC; microglia
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Neural cells do not usually interact with immune cells because of the lack of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen expression. Interferon-gamma (IFN-,gamma) enables this interaction via induction of MHC antigen expression in neural cells. Thus, IFN-gamma is a critical cytokine for the development of central nervous system (CNS) pathologies. IFN-,gamma, however, is considered to be produced exclusively by lymphoid cells. Here, we show for the first time that murine microglia produce IFN-gamma in response to IL-12 and/or IL-18, using RT-PCR detection of IFN-,gamma mRNA and Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis for cytoplasmic expression of IFN-gamma. Stimulation of microglia with IL-12 and IL-18 resulted in MHC class 11 mRNA expression in microglia. Since IL-12 and IL-18 are produced in the CNS by glial cells, these cytokines may play a critical role in the initiation of neural-immune cell interaction and the induction of autoimmune processes in the CNS via induction of IFN-gamma and MHC antigens.
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