title: Effects of TNF alpha on the expression of class II MHC molecules in macrophages induced by IFN gamma: evidence for suppression at the level of transcription.
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) induces surface expression of class II major histocompatibility (MHC) molecules (la molecules) in many cells, including macrophage-like cell lines. When we tested the effects of this cytokine on murine peritoneal macrophages, TNF alpha had little effect on surface expression of la. The strong expression of such molecules induced by interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) was, however, suppressed moderately by TNF alpha. These effects were reflected at the level of specific messenger RNA (mRNA) as detected by Northern blot analysis. Furthermore, the locus of control appears to be transcriptional; in nuclear run-on assays, TNF alpha suppressed the IFN gamma-induced enhancement of transcription for the murine beta-chain of I-A (I-A beta.). Taken together the data suggest that TNF alpha has little effect on class II MHC genes and surface expression in murine peritoneal macrophages, that TNF alpha is a modest suppressant of such molecules when their levels are raised by IFN gamma, and that these suppressive effects are mediated at the level of transcription.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Melhus
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Koerner
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma