Journal
GLIA
Volume 52, Issue 2, Pages 85-97Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/glia.20223
Keywords
astroglia; microglia; gap junction; inflammation; cytokines
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Cytokines play an important role in the onset, regulation, and propagation of immune and inflammatory responses within the central nervous system (CNS). The main source of cytokines in the CNS are microglial cells. Under inflammatory conditions, microglial cells are capable of producing pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines, which convey essential impact on the glial and neuronal environment. One paramount functional feature of astrocytes is their ability to form a functionally coupled syncytium. The structural link, which is responsible for the syncytial behavior of astrocytes, is provided by gap junctions. The present study was performed to evaluate the influence of inflammation related cytokines on an astroglial/microglial inflammatory model. Primary astrocytic cultures of newborn rats were cocultured with either 5% (M5) or 30% (M30) microglial cells and were incubated with the following proinflammatory cytokines: tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and the antiinflammatory cytokines transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) and IFN-beta. Under these conditions, i.e., incubation with the inflammatory cytokines and the high fraction of microglia (M30), microglial cells revealed a significant increase of activated round phagocytotic cells accompanied by a reduction of astroglial connexin 43 (Cx43) expression, a reduced functional coupling together with depolarization of the membrane resting potential (MRP). When the antiinflammatory mediator TGF-beta 1 was added to proinflammatory altered M30 cocultures, a reversion of microglial activation and reconstitution of functional coupling together with recovery of the astroglial MRP was achieved. Finally IFN-beta, added to M5 cocultures was able to prevent the effects of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IFN-gamma. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available