Intrastriatal injection of interleukin-1 beta triggers the formation of neuromyelitis optica-like lesions in NMO-IgG seropositive rats

Table 1 Effects of the cytokines on gene expression by rat brain endothelial cells in vitro and on tissue pathology in vivo

	Molecules induced in brain endothelial cells *in vitro*					Effects in the injected brain hemisphere *in vivo*
Cytokine						Perivascular granulocytic	hIgG	perivascular	Perivascular lesions
Used	Cxcl1	Cxcl2	Csf3	Icam1	Vcam1	Infiltrates	Leakage	C1q reactivity	With AQP4 loss
IL-1β	+++	+++	+++	+	+	++	++	++	++
TNF-α	+	+	-	++	++	-	++	+	-
IFN-γ	-	-	-	+	+	-	++	-	-
Cxcl2	-	-	-	-	-	+	++	-	+ §
IL-6	-	-	-	-	-	-	+	-	-
control	-	-	-	-	-	-	+	-	-

Semiquantitative analysis of gene expression studies in rat brain endothelial cells isolated from juvenile and adult Lewis rats, and effects in the ipsilateral brain hemisphere of 3 week-old NMO-IgG seropositive Lewis rats treated with/injected with IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, Cxcl2, IL-6 or vehicle control (PBS). In vitro effects revealed strong (+++), intermediate (++), or weak (+) induction of Cxcl1, Cxcl2, Csf3, Icam1, and Vcam1. In vivo effects were evaluated by the occurrence of perivascular granulocytic infiltrates and lesions with AQP4 loss, and by the levels of hIgG and C1q reactivity. Please note that only after treatment with IL-1β, all requirements for the formation of de novo perivascular lesions with AQP4 loss and granulocyte infiltration are fulfilled.
(§ represents 3 small lesions found in the ipsilateral hemisphere of 6 animals. These lesions were in close proximity to the needle tract area).

ISSN: 2051-5960