title: Complex network of cytokines activating murine microglial cell activity against Acanthamoeba castellani.
abstract: In the central nervous system, cytokine-primed microglia play a pivotal role in host defence against Acanthamoeba castellani infections. In this study, the effect of rIL-1beta, rIL-6 or rTNF-alpha, combined or not with rIFN-gamma, on A. castellani infection of murine microglia was examined. Priming of microglial cells with either rIL-1beta or rIL-6, in the presence or absence of rIFN-gamma, triggered amebastatic activity, while the treatment of microglia with rTNF-alpha plus rIFN-gamma additively triggered, in a dose-dependent fashion, amebicidal activity. Inasmuch as NGMA affected cytokine-triggered anti-parasitic activity during the priming process, the NO-dependent pathway itself appears not to be directly involved in the anti-amebic capacities. These data suggest that the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6 or TNF-alpha could trigger anti-microbial activity against A. castellani infection in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Second University of the Studies of Naples, Larghetto Sant' Aniello a Caponapoli 2, 80138 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Nunzia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Benedetto
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Auriault
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D009569:Nitric Oxide