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Journal of Neuroinflammation
Published in: Journal of Neuroinflammation 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research

Oxytocin inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in microglial cells and attenuates microglial activation in lipopolysaccharide-treated mice

Authors: Lin Yuan, Song Liu, Xuemei Bai, Yan Gao, Guangheng Liu, Xueer Wang, Dexiang Liu, Tong Li, Aijun Hao, Zhen Wang

Published in: Journal of Neuroinflammation | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Overactivated microglia is involved in various kinds of neurodegenerative diseases. Suppression of microglial overactivation has emerged as a novel strategy for treatment of neuroinflammation-based neurodegeneration. In the current study, anti-inflammatory effects of oxytocin (OT), which is a highly conserved nonapeptide with hormone and neurotransmitter properties, were investigated in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

BV-2 cells and primary microglia were pre-treated with OT (0.1, 1, and 10 μM) for 2 h followed by LPS treatment (500 ng/ml); microglial activation and pro-inflammatory mediators were measured by Western blot, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence. The MAPK and NF-κB pathway proteins were assessed by Western blot. The intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was determined using Fluo2-/AM assay. Intranasal application of OT was pre-treated in BALB/C mice (adult male) followed by injected intraperitoneally with LPS (5 mg/kg). The effect of OT on LPS-induced microglial activation and pro-inflammatory mediators was measured by Western blot, RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence in vivo.

Results

Using the BV-2 microglial cell line and primary microglia, we found that OT pre-treatment significantly inhibited LPS-induced microglial activation and reduced subsequent release of pro-inflammatory factors. In addition, OT inhibited phosphorylation of ERK and p38 but not JNK MAPK in LPS-induced microglia. OT remarkably reduced the elevation of [Ca2+]i in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Furthermore, a systemic LPS-treated acute inflammation murine brain model was used to study the suppressive effects of OT against neuroinflammation in vivo. We found that pre-treatment with OT showed marked attenuation of microglial activation and pro-inflammatory factor levels.

Conclusions

Taken together, the present study demonstrated that OT possesses anti-neuroinflammatory activity and might serve as a potential therapeutic agent for treating neuroinflammatory diseases.
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Metadata
Title
Oxytocin inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in microglial cells and attenuates microglial activation in lipopolysaccharide-treated mice
Authors
Lin Yuan
Song Liu
Xuemei Bai
Yan Gao
Guangheng Liu
Xueer Wang
Dexiang Liu
Tong Li
Aijun Hao
Zhen Wang
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Neuroinflammation / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1742-2094
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-016-0541-7

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