title: Alteration of brain volume in IL-6 overexpressing mice related to autism.
abstract: Abnormal neuroimmune responses have been reported to be associated with autism and could be appropriate targets for pharmacologic intervention. Our previous studies showed that neuroimmune factor, interleukin (IL)-6, was significantly elevated in the fontal cortex and cerebellum of autistic subjects. The IL-6 overexpressing mice displayed several autism-like features as well as an abnormal dendritic spine morphology and synaptic function. The purpose of this study was to examine the volumetric differences in the brain of IL-6 overexpressing mice and compare with corresponding control mice using magnetic resonance imaging. Here we show that IL-6 overexpressing mice display an increase in the total brain volume. In addition, the lateral ventricle is also enlarged in the IL-6 overexpressing mice. The brain structures surrounding the lateral ventricle were squeezed and deformed from the normal location. These results indicate that IL-6 elevation in the brain could mediate neuroanatomical abnormalities. Taking together with our previous findings, a mechanism by which IL-6 may be involved in the pathogenesis of autism is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Taiyuan, China. hongenwei@gmail.com
authors.forename: Hongen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Kegang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D000229:Dependovirus / Q000235:genetics; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000254:growth & development; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016707:Tissue Fixation
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6