title: Intracerebral NMDA injection stimulates production of interleukin-1 beta in perinatal rat brain.
abstract: Susceptibility to NMDA neurotoxicity peaks in the early postnatal period in rats. Although indirect evidence suggests that interleukin-1 beta is a mediator of NMDA neurotoxicity in perinatal rats, direct confirmation of NMDA-induced interleukin-1 beta production in the brain has not been reported previously. The primary goal of this study was to determine if intracerebral injection of a neurotoxic dose of NMDA stimulates interleukin-1 beta production acutely. We used a rat-specific interleukin-1 beta ELISA to quantify brain tissue homogenate interleukin-1 beta content, and an immunocytochemical assay with a monoclonal antirat interleukin-1 beta antibody to visualize its distribution. NMDA (10 nmol) was injected stereotaxically into 7-day-old rats, using coordinates that targeted the striatum and overlying dorsal hippocampus. Interleukin-1 beta concentrations were measured in samples from the injected and contralateral cerebral hemispheres 0-12 h later; In addition, the impact of treatment with the noncompetitive NMDA antagonist MK-801 on interleukin-1 beta production was assessed. We found marked increases in tissue content of interleukin-1 beta in the lesioned hemisphere; values peaked at 6 h post injection. Treatment with MK-801 (1 mg/kg) blocked NMDA-induced increases in interleukin-1 beta. Preliminary immunocytochemical analysis demonstrated high concentrations of interleukin-1 beta-immunoreactive cells in the lesioned hippocampus, and concurrent increases in interleukin-1 beta immunoreactivity diffusely in the ependyma at 6 h after NMDA administration. Our data provide the first direct evidence that NMDA-induced excitotoxic injury stimulates interleukin-1 beta production in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0646, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hagan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poole
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bristow
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tilders
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Silverstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008845:Microinjections; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D009498:Neurotoxins; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate