title: The role of interleukin-1beta in febrile seizures.
abstract: Febrile seizures (FS) occur in children as a result of fever. Despite their prevalence, the pathophysiology of FS has remained unclear. Recent evidence from clinical and experimental studies has highlighted a potential role of immune generated products in the genesis of FS. Of particular interest are the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and its naturally occurring antagonist, interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra). Using a novel animal model of FS, involving the generation of physiological fever, we investigated the role of the IL-1beta/IL-1ra system in the genesis of FS. We found that animals with FS had increased hippocampal and hypothalamic IL-1beta compared to equally treated animals without FS, which was first evident at onset of FS in the hippocampus. There were no differences in IL-1ra levels. ICV IL-1beta increased the number of animals with FS while IL-1ra had an opposite anti-convulsant effect. The data from these studies, in combination with recent results from other laboratories, have established a putative role for the IL-1beta/IL-1ra system in the genesis of FS.
authors.affiliation: The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Developmental Epilepsy, The Montefiore/Einstein Epilepsy Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. heida@medicine.tamhsc.edu
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Heida
authors.forename: Solomon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Moshé
authors.forename: Quentin J
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Pittman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007223:Infant; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D053583:Interleukin-1beta