Journal
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
Volume 56, Issue -, Pages 156-164Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.02.019
Keywords
Learning and memory; Neopterin; Neuroinflammation
Categories
Funding
- CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico, Brazil) [479222/2013-4]
- CAPES (Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior, Brazil [PVE: 004_2013, 88881.062164/2014-01, INCT 189405 16/2014]
- FAPESC/CNPq
- SECyT/UNC (Secretaria de Ciencia y Tecnica de la Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina)
- FonCyT (Fondo para la Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica, Argentina)
- CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Argentina
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Neopterin is found at increased levels in biological fluids from individuals with inflammatory disorders. The biological role of this pteridine remains undefined; however, due to its capacity to increase hemeoxygenase-1 content, it has been proposed as a protective agent during cellular stress. Therefore, we investigated the effects of neopterin on motor, emotional and memory functions. To address this question, neopterin (0.4 and/or 4 pmol) was injected intracerebroventricularly before or after the training sessions of step-down inhibitory avoidance and fear conditioning tasks, respectively. Memory-related behaviors were assessed in Swiss and C57BL/6 mice, as well as in Wistar rats. Moreover, the putative effects of neopterin on motor and anxiety-related parameters were addressed in the open field and elevated plus-maze tasks. The effects of neopterin on cognitive performance were also investigated after intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration (0.33 mg/kg) in interleukin-10 knockout mice (IL-10(-/-)). It was consistently observed across rodent species that neopterin facilitated aversive memory acquisition by increasing the latency to step-down in the inhibitory avoidance task. This effect was related to a reduced threshold to generate the hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) process, and reduced IL-6 brain levels after the LPS challenge. However, neopterin administration after acquisition did not alter the consolidation of fear memories, neither motor nor anxiety-related parameters. Altogether, neopterin facilitated cognitive processes, probably by inducing an antioxidant/anti-inflammatory state, and by facilitating LTP generation. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence showing the cognitive enhancer property of neopterin. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available