title: Neurobehavioral alterations in developing transgenic mice expressing TNF-alpha in the brain.
abstract: During development, neuronal circuitry and memory formation are associated with the synthesis and release of several biological mediators, including cytokines. Among the numerous cytokines, the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in neurobehavioral development is largely unknown. Thus, the recently generated transgenic mice expressing murine TNF-alpha in the brain represent a valid animal model for investigating the role of TNF-alpha in neurobehavioral processes. Using these mice, we showed that an overexpression of murine TNF-alpha increases grooming in the novel object investigation test, decreases rearing as a reaction to novel olfactory cues, and produces a retardation of passive avoidance acquisition while enhancing the thermal response in the hot-plate test, a task regulated by both peripheral and central mechanisms. The possibility that these effects are associated with endogenous changes in concentration of the NGF, known to be modulated by TNF-alpha, is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurobiology, CNR, viale Marx 15, Rome, 00156, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Probert
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kollias
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akassoglou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alleva
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aloe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics; D006120:Grooming / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019076:Transgenes; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D005914:Globins