Dafny N, Prieto-Gomez B, Dong W Q, Reyes-Vazquez C
University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, USA.
Brain Res. 1996 Sep 23;734(1-2):269-74.
Neuromodulators interact with classically defined neurotransmitters to regulate a variety of biological processes. The aim of the present study was to study whether interferon-alpha (IFN) can be considered as a neuromodulator. Single cell recordings from five CNS structures were recorded before and following three different routes of IFN administration in Sprague-Dawley rats to substantiate that IFN is a neuromodulator. IFN modulated the majority of the hypothalamic (70%), amygdala (76%), hippocampus (75%) and cortical (82%) cells whether the route of administration was within the brain or given peripherally (i.v. or i.p.). The main difference among the three routes of IFN administration on the neuronal activity of these four CNS sites was the onset of the effect. However, the thalamic neurons responded differently. IFN injection within the brain modulated activity of 43% of thalamic neurons, but only 25% and 17% of the neurons when IFN was given i.v. or i.p., respectively. IFN, in general suppressed hypothalamic neuronal activity while accelerating neuronal activity in all the other studied CNS sites. In conclusion, IFN is an endogenous peptide synthesized and released both peripherally and centrally, with the same effects on neuronal activity whether it is given systemically or locally within the brain. This suggests that IFN can be considered as a neuromodulator.
神经调质与经典定义的神经递质相互作用，以调节多种生物学过程。本研究的目的是探讨干扰素-α（IFN）是否可被视为一种神经调质。在给予Sprague-Dawley大鼠三种不同途径的IFN之前和之后，记录了五个中枢神经系统结构的单细胞电活动，以证实IFN是一种神经调质。无论给药途径是脑内给药还是外周给药（静脉注射或腹腔注射），IFN均能调节大多数下丘脑（70%）、杏仁核（76%）、海马体（75%）和皮质（82%）细胞的活动。IFN三种给药途径对这四个中枢神经系统部位神经元活动的主要差异在于效应的起效时间。然而，丘脑神经元的反应有所不同。脑内注射IFN可调节43%的丘脑神经元活动，但静脉注射或腹腔注射IFN时，分别只有25%和17%的神经元活动受到调节。总体而言，IFN抑制下丘脑神经元活动，同时加速所有其他研究的中枢神经系统部位的神经元活动。总之，IFN是一种在内周和中枢均能合成和释放的内源性肽，无论全身给药还是脑内局部给药，对神经元活动都有相同的作用。这表明IFN可被视为一种神经调质。
