IFN and virus-inducible expression of an immediate early gene, crg-2/IP-10, and a delayed gene, I-A alpha in astrocytes and microglia.

IFN-gamma is a potent macrophage activator and induces a number of early and delayed genes. crg-2, the presumed murine homologue of human IP-10, belongs to a family of proinflammatory chemokines and is induced as an immediate early gene in response to IFN-gamma in macrophages. In contrast, class II MHC or Ia genes which are essential for Ag presentation are induced as a delayed response to IFN-gamma. We studied the expression of crg-2 and compared it with Ia in astrocytes and microglia of the central nervous system since, like macrophages, these cells can also produce a number of cytokines, express Ia molecules, and present Ag. We showed that crg-2 mRNA was induced in astrocytes and microglia by IFN-gamma as well as a paramyxovirus, Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Crg-2 protein was detected in the cytoplasm and in the supernatants of IFN-gamma-treated astrocytes and microglia. IFN-gamma and NDV or UV irradiated-NDV (UV-NDV) also induced Ia mRNA in these cells. The kinetics of expression of crg-2 and Ia mRNA were compared in the same systems. While crg-2 mRNA appeared within 2 h and reached a maximum in 6 to 8 h, Ia mRNA was not detected before 8 h. Cycloheximide superinduced crg-2 mRNA induced by IFN-gamma or UV-NDV but it abolished Ia mRNA induction by the same stimuli. The induction of crg-2 in astrocytes and microglia likely contributes to the development of immune-mediated inflammation in response to viruses or in autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system.