On the association between lipopolysaccharide induced catalepsy and serotonin metabolism in the brain of mice genetically different in the predisposition to catalepsy

• Published in: Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior biochemistry and behavior, 2013-10, Vol.111, p.71-75
• Main Authors: Bazhenova, Ekaterina Yu, Kulikov, Alexander V., Tikhonova, Maria A., Bazovkina, Daria V., Fursenko, Daria V., Popova, Nina K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Brain; Brain - drug effects; Brain - metabolism; Catalepsy; Catalepsy - chemically induced; Catalepsy - genetics; Catalepsy - metabolism; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Lipopolysaccharide; Lipopolysaccharides - toxicity; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Serotonin - metabolism
• ISSN: 0091-3057; 1873-5177
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.08.009

The study of the interaction between nervous and immune systems in the mechanism of psychopathology is an important problem of neuroscience. Catalepsy (freezing reaction) is a passive defensive strategy in response to threatening stimuli. An exaggerated form of catalepsy is a syndrome of some grave mental disorders. Both the brain serotonin (5-HT) and immune systems were shown to be involved in the mechanism of catalepsy. Here we compared the effects of two doses (50 or 200μg/kg, ip) of innate immune system activator, bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), on catalepsy, 5-HT and its main metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) in the hippocampus, striatum, and midbrain of mice of catalepsy-prone (CBA/Lac and AKR.CBA-D13Mit76) and catalepsy-resistant (AKR/J) strains. The expression of LPS-induced catalepsy as well as 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio in the midbrain and striatum were significantly higher in mice of the catalepsy-prone strains compared with animals of the catalepsy-resistant strains. These results indicated an involvement of the brain 5-HT system in the cataleptogenic effect of LPS and open up new vistas for understanding the nervous–immune mechanism of behavioral disorders. •LPS-induced catalepsy was higher in catalepsy-prone than in catalepsy-resistant mice.•LPS altered 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio in the midbrain and striatum in catalepsy-prone mice.•LPS did not affect 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio in the midbrain and striatum in AKR mice.•Brain 5-HT seems to be involved in the regulation of LPS-induced catalepsy in mice.