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© The Rockefeller University Press, 0022-1007/1997/12/2023/ $5.00
The Journal of Experimental Medicine, Volume 186, Number 12, December 15, 1997 2023-2031

Article

Interferon {gamma} Gene Expression in Sensory Neurons: Evidence for Autocrine Gene Regulation

Harald Neumann, Hannes Schmidt, Elke Wilharm, Lüder Behrens, and Hartmut Wekerle

From the Department of Neuroimmunology, Max-Planck-Institute for Psychiatry, D-82152 Martinsried, Germany

We explored expression and possible function of interferon-{gamma} (IFN-{gamma}) in cultured fetal (E15) rat dorsal root ganglion neurons combining whole cell patch-clamp electrophysiology with single cell reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and confocal laser immunocytochemistry. Morphologically, we located IFN-{gamma} protein in the cytoplasm of the neurons in culture as well as in situ during peri- and postnatal development. Transcripts for classic IFN-{gamma} and for its receptor were determined in probes of cytoplasm sampled from individual cultured neurons, which had been identified by patch clamp electrophysiology. In addition, the cultured neurons expressed both chains of the IFN-{gamma} receptor.

Locally produced IFN-{gamma} acts back on its cellular source. Phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of the IFN-inducible transcriptional factor STAT1 as well as IFN-{gamma}–dependent expression of major histocompatibility complex class I molecules on the neuronal membrane were noted in untreated cultures. However, both processes were substantially blocked in the presence of antibodies neutralizing IFN-{gamma}. Our findings indicate a role of IFN-{gamma} in autocrine regulation of sensory neurons.

Address correspondence to Hartmut Wekerle, Neuroimmunology, Max-Planck-Institute for Psychiatry, D-82152 Martinsried, Germany. Phone: 49-89-8578-3550; FAX: 49-89-8578-3790.

The project was supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 391) and the European Community (CHRX-CT94-0670).

1 Abbreviations used in this paper: DRG, dorsal root ganglion; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; GFAP, glial fibrillary acidic protein; RT, reverse transcriptase.


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