Human brain microvascular DR-antigen

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Abstract
Antigen presentation within the human central nervous system by the class II histocompatibility DR‐antigen may take place at either the brain capillary–endothelial interface or at perivascular cells, such as smooth muscle or pericytes. The present studies employ a new sensitive immunoperoxidase technique, a mouse monoclonal antibody to the human DR‐antigen, and microvessels isolated from autopsied human brain. The experiments show that the DR‐antigen is readily detectable in human microvasculature of normal brain and is found in the smooth muscle pre‐capillary arterioles and capillary pericytes with minimal, if any, staining of capillary endothelium. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that antigen presentation in the CNS occurs primarily at a site immediately distal to the blood–endothelial interface.