title: Melatonin increases interleukin-1beta and decreases tumor necrosis factor alpha in the brain of mice infected with the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas "Dr. Américo Negrette," Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Apartado postal 1151, Maracaibo, Venezuela. ebonillaro@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonilla
authors.forename: Nereida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valero
authors.forename: Leonor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chacín-Bonilla
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pons
authors.forename: Yraima
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Larreal
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Medina-Leendertz
authors.forename: Luz Marina
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Espina
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008550:Melatonin