Abstract
Background
Circulating cytokines have been proposed to be implicated in the development of mood disorders and cognitive impairment. This study aims to examine the effect of chronic treatment with infliximab, a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitor, and tocilizumab, an antibody against interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor on anxiety-like behavior and cognitive function.
Methods
Twenty-eight male, Wistar rats were randomly allocated into negative control, vehicle, infliximab and tocilizumab groups. After 8 weeks of intraperitoneal drug administration, rats performed the elevated-plus maze, the elevated-zero maze, the olfactory social memory and the passive avoidance tests. Brain sections at the level of the hippocampus, the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex were histologically examined. Finally, hippocampal and amygdaloid brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
Results
Infliximab group exhibited a significantly higher number of entries and time spent into the open arms of the mazes, showing a lower level of anxiety. In the olfactory social memory test, tocilizumab significantly increased the ratio of interaction. Both infliximab- and tocilizumab-treated animals had a significantly lower latency time in the passive avoidance test that suggests an improved memory. Histological examination revealed similar morphology and neuronal density between groups. BDNF expression levels were significantly increased in the groups receiving anti-cytokine treatment.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that long-term peripheral TNF-alpha and IL-6 inhibition improves anxiety and cognitive function in rats and leads to an increased BDNF expression in the brain.
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Abbreviations
- BBB:
-
Blood–brain barrier
- BDNF:
-
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
- CNS:
-
Central nervous system
- CTRL group:
-
Negative control group
- DG:
-
Dentate gyrus
- H&E:
-
Hematoxylin and eosin
- HPA axis:
-
Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis
- HDIPs:
-
Head dips over the edge of the maze
- IDO:
-
Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase
- IL-6:
-
Interleukin-6
- INFX group:
-
Infliximab group
- LSD:
-
Least significant difference
- One-way ANOVA:
-
One-way analysis of variance
- POCD:
-
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction
- RT-qPCR:
-
Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction
- SAPs:
-
Stretched attend postures
- TCZ group:
-
Tocilizumab group
- TNF-alpha:
-
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha
- VEH group:
-
Vehicle group
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Acknowledgements
We thank Athanasia Pappa, president of the Hellenic League Against Rheumatism, for her contribution during various stages of the research project. We, also, thank Roche Hellas for providing tocilizumab.
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This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
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FP: data curation, investigation, methodology, writing original draft. CP: formal analysis, investigation, methodology, writing—review and editing. MEM, FM, AS and SP: investigation, methodology. IT: data curation, investigation. DK: conceptualization, project administration, supervision.
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Poutoglidou, F., Pourzitaki, C., Manthou, M.E. et al. Effects of long-term infliximab and tocilizumab treatment on anxiety-like behavior and cognitive function in naive rats. Pharmacol. Rep 74, 84–95 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43440-021-00328-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43440-021-00328-x