Lipopolysaccharide increases arginine-vasopressin release from rat suprachiasmatic nucleus slice cultures

The aim of this study was to determine whether Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide at the doses of 25, 50 and 100 microM influences arginine-vasopressin (AVP) secretion in young rat suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) neurons. Lipopolysaccharide administered in the medium for 3 h increased significantly the arginine-vasopressin release lasting up to 6 h after treatment. These results provide the first evidence that lipopolysaccharide influences AVP secretion in SCN neurons. Moreover, these findings may explain some central effects observed in vivo after lipopolysaccharide administration.