INCREASE IN BRAIN-STEM CYTOKINE MESSENGER-RNA LEVELS AS AN EARLY RESPONSE TO CHEMICAL-INDUCED MYELIN EDEMA

This study examined the early response of pro-inflammatory and regulat ory cytokines in the mouse brain following triethyltin (TET)-induced m yelin injury characterized by edematous vacuolation. Following an acut e intraperitoneal injection of triethyltin (TET) sulfate (3 mg/kg) to 17-day old CD1 mice, significant increases in brain stem TNF-alpha and IL-1 alpha mRNA levels occurred at 6 and 24 h, respectively with elev ations in TGF-beta 1 and MIP-1 alpha at 1 h. In the cortex, responses were limited to elevations at 6 h in TNF-alpha, TGF-beta 1 and MIP-1 a lpha. These data suggest that a chemokine/cytokine response can occur with minimal alterations to the integrity of the myelin sheath and may contribute to the initial signaling mechanisms associated with demyel inating disorders. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.