J Korean Neurol Assoc.  1998 Oct;16(5):672-677.

Expression of interleukin-2 receptor in primary cultured adult human astrocytes

• Choi C
• Lee BI
• Choi IH

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Astrocytes are the major glial cells involved with the chemical homeostasis and mechanical supports of central nervous system. Recently, astrocytes were found to actively synthesize and secrete many immunologically active cytokines and express receptors for these mediators, which proposed their autocrine and paracrine roles in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative or autoimmune diseases, I.e., multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, etc. The identification of various chemical mediators secreted by astrocytes and receptors expressed on astrocytes seems to be crucial for understanding their pathogenetic roles in these diseases. Our investigation was conducted to test the expression of interleukin-2 receptor alpha Subunit (IL-2Ralpha) on primary cultured astrocytes, which has not been studied yet.
METHODS
Astrocytes were obtained from the surgical specimen of a patient with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Neuropathological examination of the specimen revealed hippocampal sclerosis only with normal lateral temporal neocortex from which cultured astrocytes were obtained. All experiments were performed within 2 months after starting primary culture. Cultured astrocytes were incubated with IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, TGF-beta And TNF-alpha For 24 hours. RT-PCR was performed to investigate the transcription of IL-2R.
RESULTS
RT-PCRs for the IL-2Ralpha Showed constitutional expression on the adult cultured astrocytes, which was increased by IL-1, IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-alpha But decreased by treatment of TGF-beta.
CONCLUSIONS
Adult astrocytes expressed IL-2Ralpha Constitutively, which were upregulated by IL-1, IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-alpha. These findings suggest the immunocompetence of astrocytes, which may be important in the pathogenesis of many neurological diseases.

Keyword

Astrocyte; Interleukin-2 receptor; RT-PCR; Alternative splicing; messenger RNA; cytokines

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Alternative Splicing
Alzheimer Disease
Astrocytes*
Autoimmune Diseases
Central Nervous System
Cytokines
Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe
Homeostasis
Humans
Humans*
Immunocompetence
Interleukin-1
Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit
Interleukin-2*
Interleukin-6
Multiple Sclerosis
Neocortex
Neuroglia
RNA, Messenger
Sclerosis
Transforming Growth Factor beta
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Cytokines
Interleukin-1
Interleukin-2
Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit
Interleukin-6
RNA, Messenger
Transforming Growth Factor beta
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha