Effect of Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α on GABA Release from Mediobasal Hypothalamus and Posterior Pituitary

Abstract

The release of cytokines during infection, inflammation and stress induces brain-mediated responses, including alterations of neuroendocrine functions. We examined the effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) on release of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from mediobasal hypothalamic (MBH) explants and posterior pituitaries (PP) of male rats. IL-6 (10 ng/ml) did not modify basal GABA release from MBH and PP, but significantly increased GABA release under depolarizing conditions (40 mM K⁺). This effect was abolished by incubation of the tissue with indomethacin, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase activity, indicating that prostaglandins could mediate the stimulation of GABA release induced by IL-6. On the contrary, TNF-α (50 ng/ml) significantly decreased K⁺-evoked GABA release from both MBH and PP. This inhibitory effect was not modified by indomethacin. Neither IL-6 nor TNF-α affected nitric oxide synthesis, as measured by [¹⁴C]citrulline production. The current results indicate that IL-6 stimulates GABA release from both hypothalamus and posterior pituitary by a mechanism mediated by prostaglandins. On the contrary, TNF-α inhibits GABA release from both tissues. These results suggest the possibility that GABAergic activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis could be involved in neuroendocrine responses to cytokines.