Effects of colony stimulating factors on isolated microglia in vitro

Effects of colony stimulating factors (CSF), known regulators for cells in monocytic lineage, on isolated microglia were examined. Interleukin-3 (IL-3) induced only morphological changes in rod-shaped microglia, while granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) and CSF-1 induced both morphological changes and proliferation of microglia. CSF-1 also activated the enzyme activity of microglia. These observations indicated that, in terms of regulation by cytokines, microglia are similar to mature cells in monocytic lineage. Although astrocytes reportedly produce IL-3 and GM-CSF, the effects of astrocyte-conditioned medium (Ast-Sup) were different from those of either IL-3 or GM-CSF. Ast-Sup caused ameboid microglia to become ramified, and did not induce proliferation of microglia. Factors from astrocytes may have a role in the transformation of microglia which occurs in either normal developing brain or inflammation in the brain.