IFN-gamma activation of cultured neonatal rat microglia

IFN-gamma is a classical microglial stimulant. We used microarrays to investigate the microglial gene regulatory network activated by interferon-gamma. Keywords: Microglia activation Primary rat microglia cultures were established and maintained for 15 days. For activation studies, fresh media containing IFN-gamma (100 U/ml) were added and left overnight (16 hours). Total RNA was extraction and hybridized on Affymetrix microarrays (RG_U34A). Five arrays were run from total RNA derived from unstimulated 5 independent cultures (Mgl_CON1, Mgl_CON2, Mgl_CON3, Mgl_CON5 and Mgl_CON6). Three standard microglial cultures were stimulated (Mgl_IFNgamma_2 and Mgl_IFNgamma_3) with one of the samples analysed in triplicate as a technical control (Mgl_IFNgamma_1a, Mgl_IFNgamma_1b and Mgl_IFNgamma_1c).