Interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor and corticosterone induction by central lipopolysaccharide in aged rats.

Age-related changes of the immune-adrenal axis were studied in rats treated intracerebroventricularly with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 2.5 microg/5 microl). Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and corticosterone levels were evaluated in young (3 months) and old (24 months) Sprague-Dawley rats at different time-points. Old rats showed higher IL-6 levels compared to young rats while no change was observed on TNF levels in the two age groups. Corticosterone increase induced by LPS was lower in old than in young rats. The results show that heterogeneous modifications of the immune-adrenal axis occur that could have a pathophysiological role in the altered response to brain infections during aging.