Interleukin-8 promotes non-rapid eye movement sleep in rabbits and rats.
Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a cytokine found in the brain. In this study, the ability of IL-8 to induce sleep in rabbits and rats was investigated. Twenty-seven Sprague-Dawley rats and 16 male New Zealand White rabbits were provided electroencephalographic (EEG) electrodes, a brain thermistor, and a lateral intracerebroventricular cannula. The animals were injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) with pyrogen-free saline and, one of the following doses of IL-8 on a separate day: 1.25 or 12.5 ng in rabbits and 10, 50, or 100 ng in rats. EEG, brain temperature, and motor activity were recorded for 23 h after the i.c.v. injections. IL-8 increased time spent in non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) without affecting rapid eye movement sleep (REMS). In rabbits, both doses of IL-8 promoted NREMS. In rats, the 10 and 50 ng doses of IL-8 failed to affect sleep, but the 100 ng dose of IL-8 enhanced NREMS. EEG slow-wave activity during NREMS was increased after the high dose of IL-8 in rabbits. IL-8 also induced fever in rabbits but not rats. Heat inactivated IL-8 did not alter any of the parameters measured. Current results support the notion that the brain cytokine network plays a role in sleep regulation.
García-García
Fabio
F
Department of Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology and Physiology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6520, USA.
Yoshida
Hitoshi
H
Krueger
James M
JM
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D007267:Injections; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000187:drug effects*
D016209:Interleukin-8