title: An alternative pathway of nitric oxide production by rat astrocytes requires specific antigen and T cell contact.
abstract: In the present study, we observed an alternative pathway in which nitric oxide (NO) production by rat astrocytes requires specific antigen and cell-cell contact. NO production by astrocytes was significantly inhibited by antibodies against CD40L, B7-1 or B7-2. Astrocyte-derived NO inhibited T cell proliferation and induced T cell apoptosis. In contrast, augmented astrocyte proliferation was correlated to the levels of NO production by astrocytes, implicating a role of NO in regulating local immune responses in the central nervous system. These results suggest that T cell-astrocyte interactions may regulate local immune responses via the NO pathway and influence the fate of infiltrating T cells.
authors.affiliation: Units of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology, Division of Neurology, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, S-141 86 Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Link
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D000939:Epitopes; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D009569:Nitric Oxide