title: Interleukin-4 down-regulates adult human astrocyte DNA synthesis and proliferation.
abstract: The T lymphocyte-derived cytokine, interleukin-4 (IL-4), was found to inhibit dose dependently basal DNA synthesis of cultured non-neoplastic human astrocytes isolated from epilepsy white matter tissue. The mitogenic effect of tumor necrosis factor on astrocytes was also inhibited by IL-4, and the inhibitory effect was abrogated by anti-IL-4 antibody but not by irrelevant IgG. Immunofluorescent analysis indicated significantly reduced numbers of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes incorporating nuclear bromodeoxyuridine in IL-4-treated cultures compared to control. These findings indicate that human adult astrocyte proliferation, in contrast to that reported for endothelial cells or fibroblasts, is sensitive to down-regulation by IL-4.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio 44195.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Estes
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Barna
mesh_terms: D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4; D004247:DNA