Melatonin increases interleukin-1beta and decreases tumor necrosis factor alpha in the brain of mice infected with the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus.
The effect of melatonin (MLT) on the brain levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus infection was determined. Brain homogenates from mice inoculated with 10 LD50 of VEE virus, untreated or treated with 500 microg MLT/kg body weight were assayed by ELISA to measure the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. MLT was injected daily starting 3 days before and continuing to 7 days after virus inoculation. Infected mice treated with MLT showed decreased levels of TNF-alpha when compared to the untreated infected mice on days 1, 3, 4, and 5 postinoculation (P < 0.001). In contrast, IL-1beta levels increased from days 1 to 5 in the infected mice treated with MLT when compared with the untreated infected animals (P < 0.01). The results suggest that the protective effect of MLT on the VEE virus infection could be due, among other factors, to a decrease in TNF-alpha synthesis along with an increase in the production of IL-1beta.
Bonilla
Ernesto
E
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas "Dr. Américo Negrette," Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Apartado postal 1151, Maracaibo, Venezuela. ebonillaro@yahoo.com
Valero
Nereida
N
Chacín-Bonilla
Leonor
L
Pons
Héctor
H
Larreal
Yraima
Y
Medina-Leendertz
Shirley
S
Espina
Luz Marina
LM
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004666:Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine / Q000502:physiology; D004685:Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine / Q000276:immunology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay
D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008550:Melatonin