Interleukin-1beta exacerbates hypoxia-induced neuronal damage, but attenuates toxicity produced by simulated ischaemia and excitotoxicity in rat organotypic hippocampal slice cultures.
Pringle AK., Niyadurupola N., Johns P., Anthony DC., Iannotti F.
Using organotypic hippocampal slice cultures we have investigated the actions of Interleukin-1 (IL-1) in a number of injury paradigms. Low concentrations of IL-1 potentiated hypoxia-induced neurodegeneration whilst high concentrations had no effect. In contrast, higher concentrations of IL-1 were strongly neuroprotective in models of combined oxygen/glucose deprivation and N-methyl-D-aspartate toxicity, but no potentiation was observed at low IL-1 concentrations. Both protective and toxic effects of IL-1 were fully antagonized by IL-1 receptor antagonist. These data demonstrate that the effects of IL-1 on neuronal injury are complex, and may be directly related to the injury paradigm studied.