Selective protection of the cerebellum against intracerebroventricular LPS is mediated by local melatonin synthesis.

ABSTRACT: Although melatonin is mainly produced by the pineal gland, an increasing number of extra-pineal sites of melatonin synthesis have been described. We previously demonstrated the existence of bidirectional communication between the pineal gland and the immune system that drives a switch in melatonin production from the pineal gland to peripheral organs during the mounting of an innate immune response. In the present study, we show that acute neuroinflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injected directly into the lateral ventricles of adult rats reduces the nocturnal peak of melatonin in the plasma and induces its synthesis in the cerebellum, though not in the cortex or hippocampus. This increase in cerebellar melatonin content requires the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB

SUBMITTER: Pinato L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4341011 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature