Molecular and Cellular Responses to Interleukin-4 Treatment in a Rat Model of Transient Ischemia.

ABSTRACT: Within hours after stroke, potentially cytotoxic pro-inflammatory mediators are elevated within the brain; thus, one potential therapeutic strategy is to reduce them and skew the brain toward an anti-inflammatory state. Because interleukin-4 (IL-4) treatment induces an anti-inflammatory, "alternative-activation" state in microglia and macrophages in vitro, we tested the hypothesis that early supplementation of the brain with IL-4 can shift it toward an anti-inflammatory state and reduce damage after transient focal ischemia. Adult male rat striata were injected with endothelin-1, with or without co-injection of IL-4. Inflammation, glial responses and damage to neurons and white matter were quantified from 1 to 7 days later. At 1 day, IL-4 treatment increased striatal expression of several

SUBMITTER: Lively S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5070459 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature