Regional and functional heterogeneity of antigen presenting cells in the mouse brain and meninges

Abstract

The central nervous system (CNS) is considered to be immune privileged, owing in part to the absence of major histocompatibility (MHC) class II + cells in the healthy brain parenchyma. However, systemic inflammation can activate microglia to express MHC class II, suggesting that systemic inflammation may be sufficient to mature microglia into functional antigen presenting cells (APCs). We examined the effects of systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation on the phenotype and function of putative APCs within the mouse brain parenchyma, as well as its supporting tissues—the choroid plexus and meninges. Microglia isolated from different regions of the brain demonstrated significant ..