Exacerbation of CNS inflammation and neurodegeneration by systemic LPS treatment is independent of circulating IL-1β and IL-6

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronic neurodegeneration comprises an inflammatory response but its contribution to the progression of disease remains unclear. We have previously shown that microglial cells are primed by chronic neurodegeneration, induced by the M...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cunningham Colm, Skelly Donal T, Murray Carol L
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2011-05-01
Series:Journal of Neuroinflammation
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/8/1/50
_version_ 1818556188699131904
author Cunningham Colm
Skelly Donal T
Murray Carol L
author_facet Cunningham Colm
Skelly Donal T
Murray Carol L
author_sort Cunningham Colm
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronic neurodegeneration comprises an inflammatory response but its contribution to the progression of disease remains unclear. We have previously shown that microglial cells are primed by chronic neurodegeneration, induced by the ME7 strain of prion disease, to synthesize limited pro-inflammatory cytokines but to produce exaggerated responses to subsequent systemic inflammatory insults. The consequences of this primed response include exaggerated hypothermic and sickness behavioural responses, acute neuronal death and accelerated progression of disease. Here we investigated whether inhibition of systemic cytokine synthesis using the anti-inflammatory steroid dexamethasone-21-phosphate was sufficient to block any or all of these responses.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>ME7 animals, at 18-19 weeks post-inoculation, were challenged with LPS (500 μg/kg) in the presence or absence of dexamethasone-21-phosphate (2 mg/kg) and effects on core-body temperature and systemic and CNS cytokine production and apoptosis were examined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>LPS induced hypothermia and decreased exploratory activity. Dexamethasone-21-phosphate prevented this hypothermia, markedly suppressed systemic IL-1β and IL-6 secretion but did not prevent decreased exploration. Furthermore, robust transcription of cytokine mRNA occurred in the hippocampus of both ME7 and NBH (normal brain homogenate) control animals despite the effective blocking of systemic cytokine synthesis. Microglia primed by neurodegeneration were not blocked from the robust synthesis of IL-1β protein and endothelial COX-2 was also robustly synthesized. We injected biotinylated LPS at 100 μg/kg and even at this lower dose this could be detected in blood plasma. Apoptosis was acutely induced by LPS, despite the inhibition of the systemic cytokine response.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These data suggest that LPS can directly activate the brain endothelium even at relatively low doses, obviating the need for systemic cytokine stimulation to transduce systemic inflammatory signals into the brain or to exacerbate existing pathology.</p>
first_indexed 2024-12-13T23:44:10Z
format Article
id doaj.art-1d40baabc66e4d689e6e1af7c4b4665e
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1742-2094
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T23:44:10Z
publishDate 2011-05-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Journal of Neuroinflammation
spelling doaj.art-1d40baabc66e4d689e6e1af7c4b4665e2022-12-21T23:27:05ZengBMCJournal of Neuroinflammation1742-20942011-05-01815010.1186/1742-2094-8-50Exacerbation of CNS inflammation and neurodegeneration by systemic LPS treatment is independent of circulating IL-1β and IL-6Cunningham ColmSkelly Donal TMurray Carol L<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronic neurodegeneration comprises an inflammatory response but its contribution to the progression of disease remains unclear. We have previously shown that microglial cells are primed by chronic neurodegeneration, induced by the ME7 strain of prion disease, to synthesize limited pro-inflammatory cytokines but to produce exaggerated responses to subsequent systemic inflammatory insults. The consequences of this primed response include exaggerated hypothermic and sickness behavioural responses, acute neuronal death and accelerated progression of disease. Here we investigated whether inhibition of systemic cytokine synthesis using the anti-inflammatory steroid dexamethasone-21-phosphate was sufficient to block any or all of these responses.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>ME7 animals, at 18-19 weeks post-inoculation, were challenged with LPS (500 μg/kg) in the presence or absence of dexamethasone-21-phosphate (2 mg/kg) and effects on core-body temperature and systemic and CNS cytokine production and apoptosis were examined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>LPS induced hypothermia and decreased exploratory activity. Dexamethasone-21-phosphate prevented this hypothermia, markedly suppressed systemic IL-1β and IL-6 secretion but did not prevent decreased exploration. Furthermore, robust transcription of cytokine mRNA occurred in the hippocampus of both ME7 and NBH (normal brain homogenate) control animals despite the effective blocking of systemic cytokine synthesis. Microglia primed by neurodegeneration were not blocked from the robust synthesis of IL-1β protein and endothelial COX-2 was also robustly synthesized. We injected biotinylated LPS at 100 μg/kg and even at this lower dose this could be detected in blood plasma. Apoptosis was acutely induced by LPS, despite the inhibition of the systemic cytokine response.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These data suggest that LPS can directly activate the brain endothelium even at relatively low doses, obviating the need for systemic cytokine stimulation to transduce systemic inflammatory signals into the brain or to exacerbate existing pathology.</p>http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/8/1/50microgliaprimingdexamethasonechronicneurodegenerationsystemicinflammationAlzheimer's diseaseIL-1β
spellingShingle Cunningham Colm
Skelly Donal T
Murray Carol L
Exacerbation of CNS inflammation and neurodegeneration by systemic LPS treatment is independent of circulating IL-1β and IL-6
Journal of Neuroinflammation
microglia
priming
dexamethasone
chronic
neurodegeneration
systemic
inflammation
Alzheimer's disease
IL-1β
title Exacerbation of CNS inflammation and neurodegeneration by systemic LPS treatment is independent of circulating IL-1β and IL-6
title_full Exacerbation of CNS inflammation and neurodegeneration by systemic LPS treatment is independent of circulating IL-1β and IL-6
title_fullStr Exacerbation of CNS inflammation and neurodegeneration by systemic LPS treatment is independent of circulating IL-1β and IL-6
title_full_unstemmed Exacerbation of CNS inflammation and neurodegeneration by systemic LPS treatment is independent of circulating IL-1β and IL-6
title_short Exacerbation of CNS inflammation and neurodegeneration by systemic LPS treatment is independent of circulating IL-1β and IL-6
title_sort exacerbation of cns inflammation and neurodegeneration by systemic lps treatment is independent of circulating il 1β and il 6
topic microglia
priming
dexamethasone
chronic
neurodegeneration
systemic
inflammation
Alzheimer's disease
IL-1β
url http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/8/1/50
work_keys_str_mv AT cunninghamcolm exacerbationofcnsinflammationandneurodegenerationbysystemiclpstreatmentisindependentofcirculatingil1bandil6
AT skellydonalt exacerbationofcnsinflammationandneurodegenerationbysystemiclpstreatmentisindependentofcirculatingil1bandil6
AT murraycaroll exacerbationofcnsinflammationandneurodegenerationbysystemiclpstreatmentisindependentofcirculatingil1bandil6