Research article summary (published 18 May 2008):

IL-6 mediated alterations on immobile behavior of rats in the forced swim test via ERK1/2 activation in specific brain regions.

Full Abstract

Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a proinflammatory cytokine, is well known as a mediator in early stage inflammatory immune reactions. In recent years, accumulating evidence has shown that IL-6 is concomitant with the occurrence of major depression. However, the identification of the role of IL-6, as either an illness causation or immunotherapy in depression, remains to be further established. In the present study, 5-week old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used along with the forced swim test (FST) and pharmacological techniques. The data show that rats subjected to 3-day intra-amygdala or intra-hippocampus, but not intra-frontal cortex, IL-6 treatments manifested a significant increase in the immobility time (IMT) in the FST. In addition, there was no obvious difference in body temperature between normal and 3-day IL-6 treated rats. Conversely, the rats receiving 3-day intra-amygdala or intra-hippocampus IL-6 inhibitor treatment expressed a significant reduction in IMT in the FST. Moreover, the 3-day IL-6 treated rats treated with SL 327, a blood-brain barrier penetrating MEK inhibitor, prior to the FST showed a significant decrease in the IL-6 elevated IMT. In addition, the results in the Western blot analysis were in parallel with those in the behavioral tests. Taken together, the results show that the immobile behavior of rats in the FST could be modulated by IL-6 via the amygdala or the hippocampus. Furthermore, the Erk1/2 activation in the amygdala or hippocampus seemed to play a role in the IL-6 mediated immobile behavioural alterations of rats in the FST.

Author information

Author/s: Wu, Tung-Huan (TH); Lin, Chih-Hung (CH);

Affiliation: The Graduate Institute of Biological Science and Technology, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan County, Taiwan 717, Taiwan.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Behavioural brain research (Behav Brain Res), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Nov; vol 193 (issue 2) : pp 183-91

Dates: Created 2008/08/12; Completed 2008/11/03;

PMID: 18573547, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aminoacetonitrile - administration & dosage; analogs & derivatives; pharmacology Amygdala - drug effects; metabolism; physiology Animals Behavior, Animal - drug effects; physiology Blotting, Western Body Temperature - drug effects Enzyme Activation - drug effects Hippocampus - drug effects; metabolism; physiology Immobility Response, Tonic - drug effects; physiology Interleukin-6 - administration & dosage; metabolism; pharmacology Male

Male Microinjections Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 - metabolism Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 - metabolism Motor Activity - drug effects; physiology Rats Rats, Sprague-Dawley Stress, Psychological - metabolism; physiopathology Sulfoxides - administration & dosage; pharmacology Swimming - physiology Tetrazoles - administration & dosage; pharmacology

Associated Chemicals: Interleukin-6 (0) ; Ro 106-9920 (0) ; SL 327 (0) ; Sulfoxides (0) ; Tetrazoles (0) ; Aminoacetonitrile (540-61-4) ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 (EC 2.7.1.37) ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 (EC 2.7.1.37)

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