Expression of interleukin-16 by tumor-associated macrophages/activated microglia in high-grade astrocytic brain tumors

• Authors: M. Liebrich , L.-H. Guo , H.J. Schluesener , J.M. Schwab , K. Dietz , B.E. Will , R. Meyermann
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Introduction: Macrophages/microglial cells are considered as immune cells in the central nervous system. Interleukin (IL)-16 is a proinflammatory cytokine produced by activated monocytic cells. Materials and Methods: Expression of IL-16 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in human astrocytic brain tumors and the rat C6 glioblastoma tumor model. IL-16 was detected in both human astrocytic brain tumors and rat C6 glioma. Results: Compared with human control brains, a significant increase in the percentages of parenchymal IL-16+ macrophages/microglia was observed already in grade II astrocytomas, indicating that IL-16+ immunostaining could be a descriptor of a macrophage/microglia subset in astrocytic brain tumors. A further increase was observed at the transition from grade II to III astrocytomas. This increase in IL-16 immunoreactivity correlated with WHO grades of human astrocytic brain tumors. Conclusions: Therefore, IL-16 might be a so far unknown factor in the regulation of the local inflammatory milieu of human and experimental astrocytomas.

Keywords

EN

BRAIN TUMOR; IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY; INFLAMMATION; INTERLEUKIN; MICROGLIA

Discipline

• IMMUNOLOGY: IMMUNOLOGY

• Publisher: Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis
• Year: 2007
• Volume: 55
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 41-47

Contributors

author

M. Liebrich

author

L.-H. Guo

author

H.J. Schluesener

author

J.M. Schwab

author

K. Dietz

author

B.E. Will

author

R. Meyermann

• Document Type: ARTICLE
• Publication order reference: Lianghao Guo, Institute of Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstr. 3, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany