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Systemic lipopolysaccharide and pokeweed mitogen increase quinolinic acid content of mouse cerebral cortex
1Laboratory of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Abstract:
The effects of lipopolysaccharide and pokeweed mitogen on brain L-tryptophan and quinolinic acid (QUIN) concentrations were investigated in C57BL/6NCR mice. Twenty-four hours after an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (5 micrograms from Salmonella abortus equii) or pokeweed mitogen (500 micrograms), cortical QUIN concentrations were increased by 81 +/- 6% and 182 +/- 15%, respectively. Plasma QUIN was increased 175 +/- 7% of control in pokeweed-mitogen treated mice only. Brain L-tryptophan concentrations were increased, whereas plasma L-tryptophan concentrations were decreased. The consequences of increased QUIN concentrations during endotoxin and mitogen exposure remain to be determined.