Strain-dependent inflammatory responsiveness of rat microglial cells

The aim of this study is to test whether inflammatory responsiveness of rat microglial cells is strain-specific in primary microglia derived from neonatal LEW/N and F344/N rats. In contrast to F344/N microglia, LEW/N microglia constitutively and upon lipopolysaccharide challenge expressed higher levels of mRNA for the majority of inflammatory mediators studied. In addition, LEW/N microglia exhibited enhanced secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α and CCL2, as well as elevated nitric oxide production. On the contrary, activated LEW/N microglia transcribed and secreted less interleukin-10. Hence, compared to F344/N microglia, LEW/N microglia might be more reactive to lipopolysaccharide and incompetent to suppress inflammation.