Increased IL-6 expression in astrocytes is associated with emotionality, alterations in central amygdala GABAergic transmission, and excitability during alcohol withdrawal.

ABSTRACT: Accumulating evidence from preclinical and clinical studies has implicated a role for the cytokine IL-6 in a variety of CNS diseases including anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors, as well as alcohol use disorder. Here we use homozygous and heterozygous transgenic mice expressing elevated levels of IL-6 in the CNS due to increased astrocyte expression and non-transgenic littermates to examine a role for astrocyte-produced IL-6 in emotionality (response to novelty, anxiety-like, and depressive-like behaviors). Our results from homozygous IL-6 mice in a variety of behavioral tests (light/dark transfer, open field, digging, tail suspension, and forced swim tests) support a role for IL-6 in stress-coping behaviors. Ex vivo electrophysiological studies of neuronal excitability and inhibit

SUBMITTER: Roberts AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6800653 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature