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PMID: 16677721 Published · ppublish English Comparative Study Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Feeding, exploratory, anxiety- and depression-related behaviors are not altered in interleukin-6-deficient male mice.

Behavioural brain research ·Vol. 171 ·No. 1 ·2006-07-15 ·Pages 94-108

Swiergiel AH, Dunn AJ

Abstract

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been implicated in behavioral responses associated with inflammation, sickness behavior and various nervous system disorders. We studied a range of different behaviors in IL-6-knockout (IL-6ko) and wild-type (WT) male mice. No significant differences were observed in ambulatory, exploratory, and stereotypic activities in home or novel cages, in an open field (OF), in the multicompartment chamber (MCC), or in the elevated plus-maze (EPM). IL-6ko mice shed fewer fecal boli than WT mice in the OF, in novel cages and in the MCC although this effect was not statistically significant in the OF. In novel cages, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of IL-6 (1 microg) depressed ambulatory activity slightly more in IL-6ko than in WT mice. Restraint and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta, 100 ng i.p.) decreased exploration of mice in the MCC and EPM, but there was no indication of altered sensitivity in IL-6ko mice. No significant differences were detected in the tail suspension and the Porsolt forced swim tests. IL-1beta and lipopolysaccharide (LPS 1 microg i.p.) injection depressed sweetened milk and solid food intake similarly in IL-6ko and WT mice, but IL-6 had no effect, suggesting that IL-6 is not involved in these effects of IL-1 or LPS. However, IL-1beta and LPS depressed body weight more in WT than in IL-6ko mice. Plasma corticosterone and basal concentrations of catecholamines, indoleamines and their metabolites in several brain regions were similar. The responses in these measures to IL-1beta and LPS were also similar, except that there were no significant changes in tryptophan and serotonin metabolism in IL-6ko mice. This may reflect a role for IL-6 in the tryptophan and serotonin responses to IL-1 and LPS. It is concluded that the lack of IL-6 is not associated with substantial alterations in several different mouse behaviors, and in the responses to restraint, IL-1beta, IL-6 and LPS.

MeSH Terms
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/blood Analysis of Variance Animals Anxiety/blood,immunology Biogenic Amines/metabolism Brain/immunology,metabolism Corticosterone/blood Depression/blood,immunology Eating/immunology Exploratory Behavior/physiology Feeding Behavior/physiology Interleukin-1/physiology Interleukin-6/genetics,immunology Lipopolysaccharides/immunology Male Mice Mice, Inbred BALB C Mice, Knockout Motor Activity/immunology Restraint, Physical Sick Role Stress, Psychological/immunology,metabolism
Chemicals
Biogenic Amines Interleukin-1 Interleukin-6 Lipopolysaccharides Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Corticosterone
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Swiergiel Artur H
Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, 71130-3932, USA. aswier@lsuhsc.edu
Dunn Adrian J
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Article Info
Journal
Behavioural brain research
Abbr.
Behav Brain Res
ISSN
0166-4328
DOI
10.1016/j.bbr.2006.03.024
Email
aswier@lsuhsc.edu
Published
2006-07-15
Epub
2006-00-03
Pages
94-108
Language
English
Region
Netherlands
NLM ID
8004872
PMCID
PMC1975690
Subset
IM
Grants
NINDS NIH HHS · R01 NS035370 · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · R01 NS035370-10 · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · R01 NS035370-11 · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · NS35370 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2006.03.024 PMC Full Text View journal details
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