Expression of interleukin-6 receptor, leukemia inhibitory factor receptor and glycoprotein 130 in the murine cerebellum and neuropathological effect of leukemia inhibitory factor on cerebellar Purkinje cells

Expression of glycoprotein 130 and the related receptors, including interle ukin-6 receptor and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor, was examined in th e murine cerebellum at the protein level. Western blot analysis revealed th at interleukin-6 receptor, leukemia inhibitory factor receptor and glycopro tein 130 were expressed in the murine cerebellum. Immunoreactivities for in terleukin-6 receptor, leukemia inhibitory factor receptor and glycoprotein 130 were strongly localized on the cell body of Purkinje cells, indicating that both interleukin-6 and leukemia inhibitory factor could act directly o n Purkinje cells in murine adult mice. The expressions of interleukin-6 rec eptor, leukemia inhibitory factor receptor and glycoprotein 130 were observ ed on the cell membranes of Purkinje cells by immunoelectron microscopy. Im munoreactivity for the interleukin-6 receptor was also detected in the cyto plasm of Purkinje cells. Injection of a murine hemopoietic cell line, FDC-P 1 cells, transfected with the complementary DNA encoding the leukemia inhib itory factor led to a reduction in calbindin-positive dendrites of the Purk inje cells. The present results suggest that the leukemia inhibitory factor affects cer ebellar functions through Purkinje cells. (C) 2000 IBRO. Published by Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.