The expression of MHC antigens on oligodendrocytes: induction of polymorphic H-2 expression by lymphokines.

Neither class I nor class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen has been demonstrated in native oligodendrocytes, the possible target of viral or immune damage in multiple sclerosis (MS). In this report, we show that H-2, but not Ia, antigen expression is induced on isolated mouse oligodendrocytes in vitro by crude supernatant from lectin-activated spleen cells, lectin-free interleukin 2, and cloned gamma-interferon. This induction of H-2 expression is not accompanied by proliferation of oligodendrocytes, whereas MHC induction in spleen cells is highly related to their proliferation, or blastoid transformation. Oligodendrocytes as well as other brain cells are probably isolated from these lymphokines by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, it is possible that oligodendrocytes express MHC class I antigen as a consequence of impairment of the BBB, or in the presence of activated T-cells which have been demonstrated in active MS lesions. This activation then renders oligodendrocytes possible target cells for MHC-restricted cytotoxic T-cells.