title: TNF-alpha-induced corticosterone elevation but not serum protein or corticosteroid binding globulin reduction is vagally mediated.
abstract: Immune activation leads to production of mediators such as cytokines, which act to induce both brain-mediated and peripheral defense processes. We used intraperitoneal administration of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) to investigate whether defense processes induced by this cytokine are mediated by vagal afferents and/or interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptors. Because some effects of TNF-alpha are mediated, at least in part, by the brain [plasma corticosterone (CORT) elevation] and some are mediated by peripheral organs [reduction of serum protein and corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG)], we also investigated whether the effects of vagotomy are specific to those defense processes mediated by the brain. Both vagotomy and IL-1 receptor antagonist attenuated serum CORT elevation, but had no effects on serum protein or CBG reduction. These results support the idea that vagal afferents provide a true immune-to-brain pathway that may include IL-1 receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder, 80309, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fleshner
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Silbert
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deak
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Goehler
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Maier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004597:Electroshock; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014156:Transcortin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014628:Vagotomy; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014156:Transcortin; D003345:Corticosterone