title: Immortalization of murine microglial cells by a v-raf/v-myc carrying retrovirus.
abstract: A murine cell line (BV-2) has been generated by infecting primary microglial cell cultures with a v-raf/v-myc oncogene carrying retrovirus (J2). BV-2 cells expressed nonspecific esterase activity, phagocytic ability and lacked peroxidase activity. Such cells secreted lysozyme and, following appropriate stimulation, also interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor. Furthermore, BV-2 cells exhibited spontaneous anti-Candida activity and acquired tumoricidal activity upon treatment with interferon-gamma. Phenotypically, BV-2 cells resulted positive for MAC1 and MAC2 antigens, and negative for MAC3, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and galactocerebroside (GC) antigens. Since BV-2 cells retain most of the morphological, phenotypical and functional properties described for freshly isolated microglial cells, we can conclude that J2 virus infection has resulted in the immortalization of active microglial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Blasi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barluzzi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bocchini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mazzolla
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bistoni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology*; D009857:Oncogenes; D010587:Phagocytosis; D010641:Phenotype; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma