Anti-gamma interferon can prevent the premature death of trisomy 16 mouse cortical neurons in culture.

Previous reports have indicated that human trisomy 21 and mouse trisomy 16 neurons exhibit decreased viability in culture when compared to euploid control cultures and that trisomic cells are significantly more sensitive to the anti-cellular effects of the interferons. In the study reported here, cortical neurons from euploid and trisomy 16 mouse fetuses were treated with either anti-gamma-interferon or non-specific IgG and neuron morphology and viability measured photographically. The addition of anti-gamma-interferon IgG to the culture media had no effect on euploid neurons, but significantly increased trisomy neuron viability throughout the 5-day culture period. Assay of both DNA fragmentation and phosphatidylserine externalization suggested that the trisomic neurons were undergoing apoptosis at a significantly higher rate than their euploid counterparts and that this increase in apoptosis could be almost completely prevented by addition of either ligand purified monoclonal or ligand purified polyclonal anti-gamma-interferon IgG. Taken together, these data suggest that endogenous interferon plays an important role in the premature death of the trisomy neuron.