title: IFN-gamma production of adult rat astrocytes triggered by TNF-alpha.
abstract: IFN-gamma plays an important role in modulating inflammatory responses within the CNS. The cell type responsible for IFN-gamma production within the CNS is less well defined. We examined the production and regulation of IFN-gamma by adult rat astrocytes. IFN-gamma was hardly detectable in cultured astrocytes, while addition of TNF-alpha dose-dependently induced IFN-gamma production by astrocytes. No IFN-gamma production by astrocytes could be induced by LPS, IL-10 or TGF-beta 1. TNF-alpha-induced IFN-gamma production by astrocytes was inhibited by treatment of astrocytes with TGF-beta 1, but not IL-10. TNF-alpha induced IFN-gamma production by astrocytes was confirmed by using immunocytochemical staining. The data suggest that astrocyte-derived IFN-gamma induced by TNF-alpha may participate in local immune reactions of the brain in an autocrine and paracrine fashion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Link
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma