Landolfi C, Soldo L, Polenzani L, Apicella C, Capezzone de Joannon A, Coletta I, Di Cesare F, Brufani M, Pinza M, Milanese C
Angelini Ricerche, Pomezia, Rome, Italy.
Eur J Pharmacol. 1998 Oct 30;360(1):55-64. doi: 10.1016/s0014-2999(98)00663-3.
Deposition of beta-amyloid in the brain triggers an inflammatory response which accompanies the neuropathologic events of Alzheimer's disease and contributes to the destruction of brain tissue. The present study shows that beta-amyloid can stimulate human astrocytoma cells (T98G) to secrete the proinflammatory factors interleukin-6 and prostaglandins. Furthermore, prostaglandins can stimulate T98G to secrete interleukin-6, which in turn triggers the formation of additional prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are, therefore, a key element in the induction and maintenance of a state of chronic inflammation in the brain which may exacerbate the fundamental pathology in Alzheimer patients. Paracetamol (0.01-1000 microM), an unusual analgesic/antipyretic drug which acts preferentially by reducing prostaglandin production within the central nervous system, and indomethacin (0.001-10 microM) caused a clear dose-dependent reduction of prostaglandin E2 production by stimulated T98G cells whereas interleukin-6 release was not affected. These data provide further evidence of the involvement of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the inflammatory processes that can be generated by glial cells in intact brain.
