[ApoE gene knockout causes high expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8 in mouse brain].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression profile of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and IL-8 in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout (ApoE-/-) mice.

METHODS

Twenty 4-week-old male mice were divided into 2 groups: wild-type mice and ApoE-/- mice, 10 mice for each. After 12-week feeding, the blood sample was taken for serum lipid test and brain tissue were obtained for fixation and embedding. The histological changes of the hippocampus and cerebral cordex were observed by HE staining and the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8 proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Compared with the wild-type mice, the numbers of the IL-1β and IL-8-positive cells were markedly elevated in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex in ApoE-/- mice. The number of the TNF-α-positive cells was markedly raised in the cerebral cortex after ApoE knockout, and the intensity of TNF-α positive substances in the hippocampus is higher in ApoE-/- mice than in wild-type mice.

CONCLUSION

The expressions of IL-1β and IL-8 in the brain increased after ApoE knockout in mice.