Activated natural killer cells adhere to cultured hippocampal neurons and affect the dendritic morphology.
To examine the manner of interactions between immune cells and central nervous system (CNS) neurons, mouse hippocampal neurons were co-cultured with lymphokine (IL-2)-activated killer (LAK) cells. Immunocytochemical and time-lapse observations indicated that LAK cells migrated along neuronal processes and made adhesive contacts with them. In addition to the direct physical effects, LAK cells released glutamate, induced the formation of beads-like structure in the dendrites of about 14% of hippocampal neurons and caused the reduction of dendritic protrusions. These results suggest that infiltrating immune cells can form direct adhesive connections with CNS neurons and affect their dendritic morphology.
Hasegawa
Sanae
S
Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Yamaguchi
Masahiro
M
Nagao
Hiroshi
H
Yoshihara
Yoshihiro
Y
Mori
Kensaku
K
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000276:immunology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D003712:Dendrites / Q000276:immunology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology
D007376:Interleukin-2