Effects of cytokine and immunosuppressant on neurotransmitter in brain of rats

Objective To study the changs of glutamic acid(Glu)and GABA immunoreaction in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of rats with seizure induced by IL-1βor IL-6 or pentylenetetrazol(PTZ).To explore the mechanism of IL-1β,IL-6 and immunosuppressant in epilepsy.Methods Experimental rats were randomly divided into 6 groups :control group,IL-1β group,and IL-6 group,PTZ group,IL-1ra+PTZ group,dexamethasone+PTZ group.After intracerebroventricular injection of relevant agents for 120 min,behaviour changes were observed,Glu and GABA were examined by means of immunohistochemistry in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of rats.Results The behaviour observation indicated that seizure in middle degree was observed in IL-1β group and IL-6 group and seizure in severe degree was observed in PTZ group.The seizure was lighter in IL-1ra+PTZ group than in PTZ group.No seizure happened in dexamethasone+PTZ and control group.Compared with control group,the immunoreaction of Glu showed that the expression was significantly increased in IL-1β group and IL-6 group and PTZ group,while GABA was obviously decreased.Compared with PTZ group,the immunostaining of Glu was significantly increased,and immunostaining of GABA was significantly decreased in IL-1ra+PTZ group and dexamethasone+PTZ group.Conclusion The machanism of IL-1β or IL-6 particpated in promotion and induction epilepsy may be through increasing Glu and decreasing GABA in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus.The nerve excitation is enhanced and then epilepsy occurs.The immunosuppressants could have anti-epilepsy effect.