title: Decreased Interleukin-4 Release from the Neurons of the Locus Coeruleus in Response to Immobilization Stress.
abstract: It has been demonstrated that immobilization (IMO) stress affects neuroimmune systems followed by alterations of physiology and behavior. Interleukin-4 (IL-4), an anti-inflammatory cytokine, is known to regulate inflammation caused by immune challenge but the effect of IMO on modulation of IL-4 expression in the brain has not been assessed yet. Here, it was demonstrated that IL-4 was produced by noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) of the brain and release of IL-4 was reduced in response to IMO. It was observed that IMO groups were more anxious than nontreated groups. Acute IMO (2 h/day, once) stimulated secretion of plasma corticosterone and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the LC whereas these increments were diminished in exposure to chronic stress (2 h/day, 21 consecutive days). Glucocorticoid receptor (GR), TH, and IL-4-expressing cells were localized in identical neurons of the LC, indicating that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal- (HPA-) axis and sympathetic-adrenal-medullary- (SAM-) axis might be involved in IL-4 secretion in the stress response. Accordingly, it was concluded that stress-induced decline of IL-4 concentration from LC neurons may be related to anxiety-like behavior and an inverse relationship exists between IL-4 secretion and HPA/SAM-axes activation.
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyunghee-daero, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-ju
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1067-2911
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyunghee-daero, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Health and Nursing Systems, School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0567, USA.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Starkweather
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Health and Nursing Systems, School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0567, USA.
authors.forename: Kyungeh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyunghee-daero, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Adult Health and Nursing Systems, School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0567, USA.
authors.forename: Insop
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8014-9782
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4