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Formation of microglia-derived brain macrophages is blocked by adriamycin

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Summary

Injection of ricin, the toxic lectin fromRicinus communis, into the rat facial nerve leads to rapid degeneration of motor neurons and concomitant proliferation and transformation of endogenous microglia into brain macrophages. Using [3H]-thymidine autoradiography, immunocytochemistry for microglial markers and electron microscopy, we could show that when ricin was administered together with the cytostatic drug adriamycin, the retrogradely transported adriamycin inhibits the macrophage response induced by toxic ricin. It is concluded that under conditions of neuronal degeneration, e.g., following ricin intoxication, brain macrophages are predominantly, if not exclusively, derived from endogenous microglia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung für Neuromorphologie, Max-Planck-Institut für Psychiatrie, Am Klopferspitz 18a, D-8033, Martinsried, Federal Republic of Germany

    M. B. Graeber, W. J. Streit & G. W. Kreutzberg

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  1. M. B. Graeber
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  2. W. J. Streit
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  3. G. W. Kreutzberg
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Graeber, M.B., Streit, W.J. & Kreutzberg, G.W. Formation of microglia-derived brain macrophages is blocked by adriamycin. Acta Neuropathol 78, 348–358 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00688171

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00688171

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