Article abstract
Nature Cell Biology 3, 150 - 157 (2001)
Published online: 15 January 2001 | doi:10.1038/35055057
RANTES promotes growth and survival of human first-trimester forebrain astrocytes
Moiz Bakhiet1, Annelie Tjernlund1, Alyaa Mousa1,2, Annica Gad3,4, Staffan Strömblad3,4, William A. Kuziel5, Åke Seiger2 & Jan Andersson1
Abstract
We have examined the role of 
and 
chemokines in the promotion of the ontogenetic development of the brain. RANTES was expressed preferentially in human fetal astrocytes in an age-dependent manner. Astrocytes from 5-week-old brains showed high proliferation and reduced survival, whereas 10-week-old astrocytes exhibited opposite effects. These effects were suppressed by anti-RANTES or anti-RANTES receptor antibodies and were enhanced by recombinant RANTES. RANTES induced tyrosine phosphorylation of several cellular proteins and nuclear translocation of STAT-1 in astrocytes. Interferon-
(IFN-) was required for RANTES effects because RANTES induced IFN- and only 10-week-old astrocytes expressed the IFN- receptor. Blocking of IFN- with antibody reversed the effects of RANTES, indicating that cytokine/chemokine networks are critically involved in brain development.
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Centre for Infectious Medicine, Huddinge University Hospital, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Huddinge University Hospital, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Pathology, Division of Pathology, Huddinge University Hospital, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
- Södertörns Högskola, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
- Section of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712–1095, USA
Correspondence to: Moiz Bakhiet1 e-mail: moiz.bakhiet@medhs.ki.se
