title: Interferon-gamma and tumour necrosis factor induce expression of major histocompatibility complex antigen on rat retinal astrocytes.
abstract: Cultured rat retinal astrocytes were tested by indirect immunofluorescence staining for their ability to express class I and II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens under basal culture conditions and after three days of stimulation with two recombinant cytokines, rat interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and human tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). Under basal culture conditions low levels of class I antigens were detected on a small percentage of cells, but there was no visible class II. IFN-gamma and TNF alpha stimulation enhanced class I expression. TNF alpha had no effect on class II expression, whereas IFN-gamma induced the expression of class II in a dose dependent manner. These findings suggest that retinal astrocytes might play a part in immunological events occurring in the retina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: el-Asrar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maimone
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lascola
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Reder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma