Systemic Lipopolysaccharide and Pokeweed Mitogen Increase Quinolinic Acid Content of Mouse Cerebral Cortex |
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| Authors: | Melvyn P Heyes† Phillip Kim† Sanford P Markey† |
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| Institution: | Laboratory of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892. |
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| Abstract: | The effects of lipopolysaccharide and pokeweed mitogen on brain L-tryptophan and quinolinic acid (QUIN) concentrations were investigated in C57BL/6NCR mice. Twenty-four hours after an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (5 micrograms from Salmonella abortus equii) or pokeweed mitogen (500 micrograms), cortical QUIN concentrations were increased by 81 +/- 6% and 182 +/- 15%, respectively. Plasma QUIN was increased 175 +/- 7% of control in pokeweed-mitogen treated mice only. Brain L-tryptophan concentrations were increased, whereas plasma L-tryptophan concentrations were decreased. The consequences of increased QUIN concentrations during endotoxin and mitogen exposure remain to be determined. |
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| Keywords: | Endotoxin l-Tryptophan Kynurenine pathway Neurotoxin Brain Infection |
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