title: Modulation of serotonin transporter function by interleukin-4.
abstract: Serotonin (5-HT) is an important mediator of interactions between the nervous and immune systems. 5-HT signaling is regulated by the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT), which determines the magnitude and duration of serotonergic responses. Due to this important role, regulation of the 5-HTT by cytokines has been the focus of recent interest. A number of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma, have been shown to upregulate the 5-HTT. In the present study we investigated the influence of interleukin-4 (IL-4), which acts as an anti-inflammatory cytokine in the central nervous system, on the 5-HTT. As a model system we used immortalized B lymphocytes, which not only express the 5-HTT, but also allow testing the co-modulatory influence of a recently described polymorphism in the 5-HTT gene promoter (5-HTTLPR) that is associated with anxiety- and depression-related behavioral traits. The results show that IL-4 induces a dose-dependent reduction of 5-HT uptake. This effect is preferentially seen in cell lines homozygous for the long, high-activity allele of the 5-HTTLPR. In conclusion, a picture of differential modulation of the 5-HTT by proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines is emerging, which may represent a fine-tuned mechanism to communicate the state of an immune response to the central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mössner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Lesch
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012701:Serotonin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D015847:Interleukin-4; D012701:Serotonin