title: The effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents on behavioural changes and cytokine production following systemic inflammation: Implications for a role of COX-1.
abstract: Systemic inflammation gives rise to metabolic and behavioural changes, largely mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandin production (PGE(2)) at the blood-brain barrier. Despite numerous studies, the exact biological pathways that give rise to these changes remains elusive. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying immune-to-brain communication following systemic inflammation using various anti-inflammatory agents. Mice were pre-treated with selective cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibitors, thromboxane synthase inhibitors or dexamethasone, followed by intra-peritoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Changes in body temperature, open-field activity, and burrowing were assessed and mRNA and/or protein levels of inflammatory mediators measured in serum and brain. LPS-induced systemic inflammation resulted in behavioural changes and increased production of IL-6, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, as well as PGE(2) in serum and brain. Indomethacin and ibuprofen reversed the effect of LPS on behaviour without changing peripheral or central IL-6, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA levels. In contrast, dexamethasone did not alter LPS-induced behavioural changes, despite complete inhibition of cytokine production. A selective COX-1 inhibitor, piroxicam, but not the selective COX-2 inhibitor, nimesulide, reversed the LPS-induced behavioural changes without affecting IL-6, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha protein expression levels in the periphery or mRNA levels in the hippocampus. Our results suggest that the acute LPS-induced changes in burrowing and open-field activity depend on COX-1. We further show that COX-1 is not responsible for the induction of brain IL-6, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha synthesis or LPS-induced hypothermia. Our results may have implications for novel therapeutic strategies to treat or prevent neurological diseases with an inflammatory component.
authors.affiliation: CNS Inflammation Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Bassett Crescent East SO167PX, UK. jt8@soton.ac.uk
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Teeling
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Perry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1 / Q000502:physiology*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000502:physiology; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000523:psychology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012313:RNA; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D015232:Dinoprostone