Iron Regulates Microglial Cell-Mediated Secretory and Effector Functions

Iron homeostasis and macrophage physiology are tightly intertwined. In the present study, we evaluated the influence of iron loading on the constitutive and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced functional and secretory properties of microglial cells, using thein vitroestablished murine cell line BV-2. We demonstrate that iron augments the basal and IFN-γ plus LPS-enhanced anti-Candida albicansactivity exerted by BV-2 cells and that the phenomenon occurs with no enhancement of phagocytic activity. Furthermore, when the secretory properties of IFN-γ plus LPS-treated BV-2 cells were assessed, we found that tumor necrosis factor remains unchanged while nitric oxide production is significantly reduced in iron-loaded cells. The addition of the iron chelator deferiprone (L1) reverts the effects of iron on BV-2 functional and secretory properties. These data suggest that iron differently affects secretory and effector functions of BV-2 microglial cells, thus implying that iron interferes with murine microglial cell physiology.