Effects of co-administration of ghrelin agonist (GHRP-2) and GH on TNF-α, IL-6 and iNOS gene expression induced by LPS in the mouse brain

Document Type : Short paper

Authors

1 Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Biology, Qom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran

4 Rastegar Reference Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the anti-inflammatory effects of co-administration of growth
hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) and growth hormone (GH) on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),
interleukin-6 (IL-6) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression induced by LPS in the mouse
brain. Thirty-five male NMRI mice (25±5 g) were injected through the mouse tail vein with saline, GHRP-2
(100 μg/kg), GH (25 μg/kg) or GHRP-2 + GH, 30 min before the intraperitoneal injection of LPS (5 mg/kg).
Then, inflammation was induced by the intraperitoneal injection of LPS. The control animals received sterile
saline in the first and second injections. Changes in the expression level of TNF-α, IL-6 and iNOS genes
were studied in the mouse brain by a semi quantitative RT-PCR method. The results of this study showed
that GHRP-2 or GH significantly decreased the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 genes in brain 2 h after the
injection of LPS. Co-administration of GHRP-2 and GH markedly reduced the expression of TNF-α and IL-6
genes. LPS had no effect on the expression of iNOS gene in brain. The data suggest that co-administration of GHRP-2 and GH has a protective effect in brain inflammation induced by LPS through inhibition of TNF-α
and IL-6.

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