Neuroinflammatory reactions in sickness behavior induced by bacterial infection: Protective effect of minocycline.

Abstract

The neurological changes elicited by bacterial infection are called sickness behavior. Minocycline (MIN) is neuroprotective with a remarkable brain tissue penetration. MIN was orally administered at a dose 90mg/kg for 3 days, whereas Escherichia coli was given as a single intraperitoneal injection (0.2mL of 24h growth) on the third day. After 24h of bacterial infection, behavioral tests namely open field and forced swimming were carried out, then animals were decapitated. Rats infected with E. coli displayed reduced struggling time in forced swimming test, as well as, exploration and locomotion in open field test with reduction in neurotransmitters (norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin) versus elevation in the inflammatory (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma) and oxidative stress (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, reduced glutathione) biomarkers. Inflammatory infiltrates of nuclear cells were observed in brains of infected rats. MIN administration prevented the deleterious effects of E. coli infection, thus protects against sickness behavior possibly via defending from neuroinflammation.