The expression of cytokines and their receptors in normal and mildly reactive human brain

There are many inflammatory diseases of the brain such as AIDS, other viral encephalitides and multiple sclerosis all of which are probably influenced by both systemic and focal CNS cytokine release. We have studied the expression of a wide range of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and their receptors, beta2-microglobulin, and MHC Class II, using immunocytochemistry on cryostat sections of normal and mildly reactive human brain. The aim was to try to determine the cytokine 'baseline' expression in normal human brain and the results obtained indicated very low expression of various cytokines and their receptors, mainly by microglia and macrophages with some endothelial expression.