Macrophage inflammatory protein 1-α mRNA expression in an immortalized microglial cell line and cortical astrocyte cultures

Macrophage inflammatory protein 1 (MIP‐1) is a recently characterized inflammatory and chemokinetic cytokine. Proinflammatory stimuli have been shown to induce expression of MIP‐1 by macrophages. We hypothesized that microglia and astrocytes express MIP‐1α because of their many immunologic similarities to macrophages. MIP‐1α mRNA was examined with quantitative reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction in an immortalized mouse microglial cell line (BV‐2) and in mouse cortical astrocyte cultures. We found that in both the BV‐2 microglial cell line and in astrocyte cultures, MIP‐1α mRNA was strongly induced by lipopolysaccharide and the phorbol ester PMA. MIP‐1α mRNA was reduced by dBcAMP, interferon‐γ, and PGE1. Dexamethasone decreased MIP‐1α mRNA levels in astrocyte cultures, but not in BV‐2 microglial cells. Interleukin‐1β, tumor necrosis factor α and MIP‐1α had no effect on MIP‐1α mRNA is expression. These findings demonstrate that MIP‐1α mRNA is expressed by cultured glial cells and is regulated by proinflammatory and anti‐inflammatory stimuli. MIP‐1α may be expressed by microglia and astrocytes in vivo, and may help modulate cerebral inflammation. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.