Effects of acute and repeated exposure to lipopolysaccharide on cytokine and corticosterone production during remyelination

Brain Behav Immun. 2007 Oct;21(7):962-74. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2007.03.010. Epub 2007 May 8.

Abstract

Chronic exposure to the copper-chelating agent, cuprizone (CPZ), is an increasingly popular model for producing demyelination. More importantly, cessation of cuprizone exposure allows for full remyelination, which represents a window of opportunity for determining the influence of environmental factors on regenerative processes. In the present study, CPZ-treated animals were assessed for functional status of systemic and central cytokine responsiveness to LPS, as well as assessment for signs of body weight changes. Exposure of male C57BL/6J mice to 5 weeks of 0.2% CPZ in the diet was optimal in producing demyelination and microglial activation, as measured by myelin basic protein, CD11b, and CD45 immunohistochemistry. Acute challenge with LPS at the end of 5 weeks CPZ treatment did not alter IL-1beta, IL-6, nor TNFalpha responses in the spleen and corpus callosum. Similarly, repeated exposure to LPS during the remyelination phase (CPZ removal) did not influence these measures to LPS. Plasma corticosterone was unaffected following acute challenge of CPZ-pretreated animals, but after repeated LPS treatment, there was a significant augmentation of the corticosterone response in CPZ-pretreated mice. Interestingly, the basal concentration of IL-1beta in the corpus callosum of CPZ treated animals was significantly increased, which was in keeping with the increase in activated microglial cells. In conclusion, the cuprizone model of demyelination and remyelination does not appear to influence the systemic nor central IL-1, IL-6, and TNF responses to acute nor repeated LPS. This opens up the possibility for studying the contribution of systemic inflammatory processes on remyelination after cessation of CPZ treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Animals
  • Body Weight
  • CD11b Antigen / metabolism
  • Chelating Agents / toxicity
  • Chronic Disease
  • Corpus Callosum / immunology
  • Corpus Callosum / pathology
  • Corticosterone / blood
  • Cuprizone / toxicity
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Demyelinating Diseases / chemically induced
  • Demyelinating Diseases / immunology*
  • Demyelinating Diseases / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Leukocyte Common Antigens / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microglia / immunology
  • Myelin Basic Protein / metabolism
  • Myelin Sheath / immunology*
  • Myelin Sheath / metabolism
  • Myelin Sheath / pathology
  • Nerve Regeneration / drug effects*
  • Nerve Regeneration / immunology*
  • Spleen / metabolism

Substances

  • CD11b Antigen
  • Chelating Agents
  • Cytokines
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Myelin Basic Protein
  • Cuprizone
  • Leukocyte Common Antigens
  • Ptprc protein, mouse
  • Corticosterone