title: Expression of major histocompatibility complex antigens in neonate rat primary mixed glial cultures.
abstract: Primary mixed glial cultures containing astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and macrophages have been cultured from cerebral hemispheres of neonate rats and examined by indirect immunofluorescence for the expression of class I and II RT1 major histocompatibility complex-coded antigens. None of these cells expressed detectable levels of either class I or II antigens except for the macrophages which were weakly class I positive. Treatment with lymphokine-containing supernatant from concanavalin A-activated splenic lymphocytes resulted in increased expression of class I antigens on all cells together with the appearance of class II RT1.B and RT1.D antigens on macrophages and a small proportion of type 1/protoplasmic astrocytes. The identity of the Ia antigens was confirmed by immunoprecipitation from lysates of surface-iodinated cells. The ability of lymphokine-treated mixed glial cultures to stimulate proliferation of allogeneic lymphocytes provides additional evidence of Ia induction. A possible role for these Ia+, putative antigen-presenting cells in delayed type hypersensitivity in the central nervous system is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D008222:Lymphokines; D007371:Interferon-gamma