Autocrine S100B effects on astrocytes are mediated via RAGE.

To find out if the astrocytic protein S100B involves its autocrine effects via RAGE we investigated the capacity of astrocytes to upregulate IL-6 and TNF-alpha expression by stimulation with S100B. The subcellular localization of RAGE expression at the cell surface membrane of cultured astrocytes was demonstrated by immunofluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry and Western blotting. S100B was able to stimulate IL-6 and TNF-alpha secretion in cultured astrocytes in a concentration- and time-dependent manner as shown by ELISA.