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Interleukin-1 beta directly excites hypothalamic supraoptic neurons in rats in vitro
1Department of Physiology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Abstract:
Responses of 42 neurosecretory neurons in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) to human recombinant interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) were examined during intracellular recordings in rat brain slices. IL-1 beta (10(-9)-10(-8) M) depolarized the membrane and caused increased firing in 25 neurons (59.5%). In 11 other neurons (26.6%), depolarization was also seen, followed by membrane hyperpolarization. The IL-induced depolarizing effect remained in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) but was abolished by sodium salicylate. The results suggest that IL-1 beta mainly exerts a direct excitatory effect on SON neurons and further, that prostaglandins may be involved in such an effect.