Production of IL-27 and other IL-12 family cytokines by microglia and their subpopulations.

Production of IL-27 and other IL-12 family cytokines by murine microglia were examined using RT-PCR, real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. We show for the first time that murine microglia produce IL-27 in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and/or interferon-gamma. Primary microglia, but not their cell lines, also induce IL-12 and IL-23 upon above stimulation. Therefore, microglia may play a critical role initiating Th1 responses via producing IL-12 family cytokines in the brain.