Expression of interleukin-6 receptor, leukemia inhibitory factor receptor and glycoprotein 130 in the murine cerebellum and neuropathological effect of leukemia inhibitory factor on cerebellar Purkinje cells.

Expression of glycoprotein 130 and the related receptors, including interleukin-6 receptor and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor, was examined in the murine cerebellum at the protein level. Western blot analysis revealed that interleukin-6 receptor, leukemia inhibitory factor receptor and glycoprotein 130 were expressed in the murine cerebellum. Immunoreactivities for interleukin-6 receptor, leukemia inhibitory factor receptor and glycoprotein 130 were strongly localized on the cell body of Purkinje cells, indicating that both interleukin-6 and leukemia inhibitory factor could act directly on Purkinje cells in murine adult mice. The expressions of interleukin-6 receptor, leukemia inhibitory factor receptor and glycoprotein 130 were observed on the cell membranes of Purkinje cells by immunoelectron microscopy. Immunoreactivity for the interleukin-6 receptor was also detected in the cytoplasm of Purkinje cells. Injection of a murine hemopoietic cell line, FDC-P1 cells, transfected with the complementary DNA encoding the leukemia inhibitory factor led to a reduction in calbindin-positive dendrites of the Purkinje cells.The present results suggest that the leukemia inhibitory factor affects cerebellar functions through Purkinje cells.