Pretreatment with interleukin-1 enhances survival of sympathetic ganglionic neuron grafts

The effects of pretreatment with interleukin-1 (IL-1) on neurite growth and cell survival of rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) explants were examined. Neonate rat SCG explants were cultured with serum-containing growth media. Pretreatment with IL-1 beta (30 U/ml) for 3 hours stimulated neurite outgrowth of the SCG explant, which was inhibited by the addition of anti-nerve growth factor (NGF) antibody to the growth medium. Adult rat autologous SCG with the same pretreatment and non-treated ganglia were transplanted into the lateral ventricle. Histological evaluation of the grafts 2 weeks after transplantation revealed that the pretreated SCG cells survived better. Pretreatment with IL-1 may achieve the NGF-mediated neurotrophic effect in sympathetic ganglionic neurons resulting in enhanced graft survival.