The effects of a novel inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha on prepulse inhibition and microglial activation in two distinct rodent models of schizophrenia

Increased neuroinflammation has been shown in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia (SCHZ). This study evaluated a novel immune modulator (PD2024) that targets the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF?) to alleviate sensorimotor gating deficits and microglial activation employing two different rodent models of SCHZ. In Experiment 1, rats were neonatally treated with saline or the dopamine D2-like agonist quinpirole (NQ; 1 mg/kg) from postnatal day (P) 1-21 which produces increases of dopamine D2 receptor sensitivity throughout the animal?s lifetime. In Experiment 2, rats were neonatally treated with saline or the immune system stimulant polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) from P5-7. Neonatal Poly I:C treatment mimics immune system activation associated with SCHZ. In both experiments, rats were raised to P30 and administered a control diet or a novel TNF? inhibitor PD2024 (10 mg/kg) in the diet from P30 until P67. At P4546 and from P60-67, animals were behaviorally tested on auditory sensorimotor gating as measured through prepulse inhibition (PPI). NQ or Poly I:C treatment resulted in PPI deficits, and PD2024 treatment alleviated PPI deficits in both models. Results also revealed that increased hippocampal and prefrontal cortex microglial activation produced by neonatal Poly I:C was significantly reduced to control levels by PD2024. In addition, a separate group of animals neonatally treated with saline or Poly I:C from P5-7 demonstrated increased TNF? protein levels in the hippocampus but not prefrontal cortex, verifying increased TNF? in the brain produced by Poly I:C. Results from this study suggests that that brain TNF? is a viable pharmacological target to treat the neuroinflammation known to be associated with SCHZ.

Automated summary

The study evaluated a new immune modulator PD2024 targeting TNF-α to alleviate sensorimotor gating deficits and microglial activation in two different rodent models of schizophrenia. The results suggest that targeting brain TNF-α may be a viable pharmacological approach to treat neuroinflammation associated with schizophrenia.