Neuropeptide Y up-regulation in cerebrocortical neurons after Borna Disease Virus infection is unrelated to brain inflammation in rats.
Neuropeptides participate in the pathophysiology of cerebral inflammatory diseases. We analyzed the involvement of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in rat brain infected with Borna Disease Virus (BDV). NPY expressing cerebrocortical neurons were increased during the acute stage of BDV-induced encephalitis. The increase was resistant to immunosuppression by systemic dexamethasone, which greatly reduced inflammatory reactions in the brain. This indicates that the increase of cerebrocortical NPY expression is not causally related to inflammation. As cerebral NPY is known to be increased during experimental seizures and to have anticonvulsive actions, we propose that NPY up-regulated during BDV encephalitis limits seizures known to be associated with Borna Disease.
Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Philipps University, Robert-Koch Str. 8, D-35033 Marburg, Germany.
Michael
M
Bette
Annette
A
Roehrenbeck
Bernhard
B
Dietzschold
Eberhard
E
Weihe
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001890:Borna Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D015854:Up-Regulation
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D003907:Dexamethasone