Expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1 and CXCR4 chemokine receptor mRNAs in cultured rat glial and neuronal cells

Abstract The expression of the mRNAs for stromal cell-derived factor-1 α and -1 β (SDF-1 α and -1 β ) and their receptor CXCR4 in cultured rat glial and neuronal cells was examined. SDF-1 α mRNA was expressed intensely in astrocytes and weakly in neurons, but not in microglia. SDF-1 β mRNA was expressed weakly in these three types of cells. The expressions of SDF-1 α and -1 β mRNAs in astrocytes were decreased by treatment with LPS (100 ng/ml) for 1–6 h but markedly increased by that for 24–72 h, whereas the expression of SDF-1 β mRNA in microglia was hardly changed by the treatment for 0.5–6 h, and was decreased by that for 24–48 h. The expression of CXCR4 mRNA was observed in astrocytes, microglia and neurons, and was not altered by LPS treatment.