Impact of Elevated Brain IL-6 in Transgenic Mice on the Behavioral and Neurochemical Consequences of Chronic Alcohol Exposure
Alcohol consumption activates the neuroimmune system of the brain, a system in which brain astrocytes and microglia play dominant roles. These glial cells normally produce low levels of neuroimmune factors, which are important signaling factors and regulators of brain function. Alcohol activation of...
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Cells |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/18/2306 |
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| author | Donna L. Gruol Delilah Calderon Salvador Huitron-Resendiz Chelsea Cates-Gatto Amanda J. Roberts |
| author_facet | Donna L. Gruol Delilah Calderon Salvador Huitron-Resendiz Chelsea Cates-Gatto Amanda J. Roberts |
| author_sort | Donna L. Gruol |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Alcohol consumption activates the neuroimmune system of the brain, a system in which brain astrocytes and microglia play dominant roles. These glial cells normally produce low levels of neuroimmune factors, which are important signaling factors and regulators of brain function. Alcohol activation of the neuroimmune system is known to dysregulate the production of neuroimmune factors, such as the cytokine IL-6, thereby changing the neuroimmune status of the brain, which could impact the actions of alcohol. The consequences of neuroimmune–alcohol interactions are not fully known. In the current studies we investigated this issue in transgenic (TG) mice with altered neuroimmune status relative to IL-6. The TG mice express elevated levels of astrocyte-produced IL-6, a condition known to occur with alcohol exposure. Standard behavioral tests of alcohol drinking and negative affect/emotionality were carried out in homozygous and heterozygous TG mice and control mice to assess the impact of neuroimmune status on the actions of chronic intermittent alcohol (ethanol) (CIE) exposure on these behaviors. The expressions of signal transduction and synaptic proteins were also assessed by Western blot to identify the impact of alcohol–neuroimmune interactions on brain neurochemistry. The results from these studies show that neuroimmune status with respect to IL-6 significantly impacts the effects of alcohol on multiple levels. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:56:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b1cc0c48380444cb56f837ea1f21321 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:56:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b1cc0c48380444cb56f837ea1f213212023-11-19T10:00:10ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092023-09-011218230610.3390/cells12182306Impact of Elevated Brain IL-6 in Transgenic Mice on the Behavioral and Neurochemical Consequences of Chronic Alcohol ExposureDonna L. Gruol0Delilah Calderon1Salvador Huitron-Resendiz2Chelsea Cates-Gatto3Amanda J. Roberts4Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USANeuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USAAnimal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USAAnimal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USAAnimal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USAAlcohol consumption activates the neuroimmune system of the brain, a system in which brain astrocytes and microglia play dominant roles. These glial cells normally produce low levels of neuroimmune factors, which are important signaling factors and regulators of brain function. Alcohol activation of the neuroimmune system is known to dysregulate the production of neuroimmune factors, such as the cytokine IL-6, thereby changing the neuroimmune status of the brain, which could impact the actions of alcohol. The consequences of neuroimmune–alcohol interactions are not fully known. In the current studies we investigated this issue in transgenic (TG) mice with altered neuroimmune status relative to IL-6. The TG mice express elevated levels of astrocyte-produced IL-6, a condition known to occur with alcohol exposure. Standard behavioral tests of alcohol drinking and negative affect/emotionality were carried out in homozygous and heterozygous TG mice and control mice to assess the impact of neuroimmune status on the actions of chronic intermittent alcohol (ethanol) (CIE) exposure on these behaviors. The expressions of signal transduction and synaptic proteins were also assessed by Western blot to identify the impact of alcohol–neuroimmune interactions on brain neurochemistry. The results from these studies show that neuroimmune status with respect to IL-6 significantly impacts the effects of alcohol on multiple levels.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/18/2306neuroimmunesynaptic transmissionalcohol drinkingdepressive-like behaviorSTAT3p42/44MAPK |
| spellingShingle | Donna L. Gruol Delilah Calderon Salvador Huitron-Resendiz Chelsea Cates-Gatto Amanda J. Roberts Impact of Elevated Brain IL-6 in Transgenic Mice on the Behavioral and Neurochemical Consequences of Chronic Alcohol Exposure Cells neuroimmune synaptic transmission alcohol drinking depressive-like behavior STAT3 p42/44MAPK |
| title | Impact of Elevated Brain IL-6 in Transgenic Mice on the Behavioral and Neurochemical Consequences of Chronic Alcohol Exposure |
| title_full | Impact of Elevated Brain IL-6 in Transgenic Mice on the Behavioral and Neurochemical Consequences of Chronic Alcohol Exposure |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Elevated Brain IL-6 in Transgenic Mice on the Behavioral and Neurochemical Consequences of Chronic Alcohol Exposure |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Elevated Brain IL-6 in Transgenic Mice on the Behavioral and Neurochemical Consequences of Chronic Alcohol Exposure |
| title_short | Impact of Elevated Brain IL-6 in Transgenic Mice on the Behavioral and Neurochemical Consequences of Chronic Alcohol Exposure |
| title_sort | impact of elevated brain il 6 in transgenic mice on the behavioral and neurochemical consequences of chronic alcohol exposure |
| topic | neuroimmune synaptic transmission alcohol drinking depressive-like behavior STAT3 p42/44MAPK |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/18/2306 |
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