Visualization of cytokine and virus receptors common to the immune and central nervous system.
Interleukin 1 (IL-1) and the human retrovirus HTLV-III/LAV represent two distinct molecular and biological constituents that are apparently shared by both the immune and central nervous systems. IL-1 is a cytokine produced principally by monocytes of the immune system and glial cells of brain in situ or in vitro. HTLV-III/LAV represents a unique class of human retrovirus which is the recognized etiological vector of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) which exhibits cellular tropism to helper T lymphocytes or brain by the interactions with an entry protein previously described as the T4 antigen. Autoradiography was used to examine the specific binding distribution of 125I-IL-1 alpha and anti-T4 antibody to rat and squirrel monkey brain sections, respectively. Representative data shows unique neuroanatomical distributions of the IL-1 binding protein (receptor) and the T4 antigen in brain. The autoradiographic study provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of shared receptors between the immune and nervous systems and offers potential for the discovery of new biological or pathological interactions of these common physiological constituents.
D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006678:HIV / Q000276:immunology; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis*; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000032:analysis*; D012453:Saimiri
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D011991:Receptors, Virus