Recognition of major histocompatibility complex antigens on murine glial cells.

Recognition of autologous major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens by T cells is an essential step in the induction of an immunologic reaction to either endogenous or exogenous antigens. We investigated the ability of murine glial cells of different ages to stimulate clones of allospecific T lymphocytes. We also investigated the effects of supernatants from cultures of activated T cells on the immunologic recognition of MHC antigens on murine glial cells. Lymphocyte clones specific for Class I, Class II and non-MHC, background antigens were obtained from C57B1/6J-anti-DBA/2 mixed lymphocyte cultures. Glial cell cultures were prepared from newborn syngeneic (C57B1/6J) and allogeneic (DBA/2) mouse brains. Glial cultures 1-4 weeks of age were able to stimulate alpha-Class I-specific clones. No stimulation of alpha-Class II or alpha-background clones was noted. Incubation of glial cells with supernatants from cultures of alloantigen-activated spleen cells (C57B1/6J-anti-DBA/2) resulted in a decreased ability of glial cells to stimulate alpha-Class I responses. In contrast supernatant-treated cultures acquired the capacity to stimulate alpha-Class II-specific clones. No responses were noted in clones responsive to non-MHC antigens. The ability to stimulate alpha-Class II-specific clones was most prominent with one-week-old glial cultures and was lost by four weeks of culture. The increased susceptibility of younger glial cultures to the modulatory effects of lymphokines from activated T cells may be a factor in the increased susceptibility of the immature central nervous system to persistent viral infections and the development of autoimmune phenomena.