Fibrinogen (Fg)-induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in astrocytes. (A) Gene expression of astrocyte pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6), C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), C-C motif chemokine 2 (CCL2), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10) in response to treatment overnight (17 hr) were detected with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. Cells were treated with medium alone (control), 2 mg/mL or 4 mg/mL of Fg (Fg4), 4 mg/mL of Fg in the presence of PrPC function-blocking peptide (Fg4/block PrPC) and 4 mg/mL of Fg in the presence of function-blocking antibody against ICAM-1 (Fg4/block ICAM-1). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 µg/mL), with or without co-stimulation with 20 ng/mL of a murine interferon gamma (IFNγ), was used as a positive control. Data were presented as a gene fold normalized to 18S, a housekeeping gene. (B) Content of the astrocytic IL-6 and CXCL-10 proteins in astrocyte conditioned media was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cells were treated with medium alone (control), 2 mg/mL or 4 mg/mL of Fg, 4 mg/mL of Fg in the presence of a PrPC function-blocking peptide (Fg4/block PrPC), and 4 mg/mL of Fg in the presence of a function-blocking antibody against ICAM-1 (Fg4/block ICAM-1). p < 0.05 in all; *—vs. Control, †—vs. Fg4 and ‡—vs. Fg4/block PrPC; n = 6.