Ng. Carlson et al., Inflammatory cytokines IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha impart neuroprotection to an excitotoxin through distinct pathways, J IMMUNOL, 163(7), 1999, pp. 3963-3968
The proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha ar
e produced within the CNS, and, similar to the periphery, they have pleotro
phic and overlapping functions. We have shown previously that TNF-alpha inc
reases neuronal survival to a toxic influx of calcium mediated through neur
onal N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) glutamate-gated ion channels. This pro
cess, termed excitotoxicity, is a major contributor to neuronal death follo
wing ischemia or stroke. Neuroprotection by this cytokine requires both act
ivation of the p55/TNF receptor type I and the release of TNF-alpha from ne
urons, and it is inhibited by the plant alkaloid nicotine. Here, we report
that other inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6) are als
o neuroprotective to excessive NMDA challenge in our system. Neuroprotectio
n provided by IL-1 is distinct from TNF-alpha because it is inhibited by IL
-1 receptor antagonist; it is not antagonized by nicotine, but it is inhibi
ted by a neutralizing Ab to nerve growth factor (NGF). Similar to IL-1, IL-
6-mediated neuroprotection is also antagonized by pretreatment with IL-1 re
ceptor antagonist and it is not affected by nicotine. However, neutralizing
anti-NGF only partially blocks IL-6-mediated protection. These studies sup
port an important role for distinct but overlapping neuroprotective cytokin
e effects in the CNS.