title: Effect of intravenous immunoglobulin treatment on brain interferon-gamma and interleukin-6 levels in a rat kindling model.
abstract: Many studies indicate that intravenous immunoglobulin (IgG) therapy may decrease symptoms of epilepsy. In this study, we assessed the effects of intravenous IgG in an experimental rat kindling model and attempted to elucidate the underlying mechanism of the IgG effect. For induction of kindling, Wistar rats received repeated intraperitoneal injections of picrotoxin. The serum level of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was measured to determine seizure severity. Interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-6 levels were measured in rat hippocampus homogenates. The serum NSE level and hippocampal IFN-gamma level were significantly higher in fully kindled, untreated rats compared to unkindled control rats, whereas IL-6 levels were similar in all groups. Intravenous IgG-treated kindled rats showed NSE and IFN-gamma levels similar to those of control rats, along with lower seizure severity and longer seizure latent period than fully kindled, untreated rats. These results indicate that intravenous immunoglobulin exerts a protective effect on the neurons of kindled rats, potentially by downregulating cytokines in the brain. These results shed light on the mechanism by which intravenous immunoglobulin decreases the severity of epileptic seizures.
authors: Pediatrics Department, Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. luoxy33@hotmail.com
authors: Xiangyang
authors: X
authors: Luo
authors: Dongfang
authors: D
authors: Li
authors: Danyang
authors: D
authors: Cen
authors: Zhanwen
authors: Z
authors: He
authors: Zhe
authors: Z
authors: Meng
authors: Liyang
authors: L
authors: Liang
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007696:Kindling, Neurologic / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000097:blood; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012640:Seizures / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase