title: Cultured human monocytes release proinflammatory cytokines in response to myelin basic protein.
abstract: In human cultured monocytes we examined the ability of myelin basic protein (MBP) to induce the production of proinflammatory cytokines potentially involved in inflammatory demyelination. Northern blots and specific immunoassays demonstrated that monocytes incubated with optimal doses of MBP showed increased mRNA expression and release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) but not of interleukin-12/p40 (IL-12/p40). We also showed that cytokine production by MBP-stimulated monocytes was abrogated by incubation with Dexamethasone. These data suggest that interaction of mononuclear phagocytes with MBP may participate in the regulatory process of cytokine production during inflammatory demyelination and support the beneficial role of corticosteroids therapy in aberrant immune responses to the myelin sheath.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Constantin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meda
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scarpini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scarlato
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trinchieri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monastra
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cassatella
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha