Amitriptyline and nortriptyline inhibit interleukin-1 release by rat mixed glial and microglial cell cultures

Abstract

Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1beta and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha have been suggested to be involved in the pathophysiology of depression and in the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs. Until now the effect of antidepressants on cytokines has been examined only in plasma, blood mononuclear cells and spleen, which reflect the activity of peripheral cytokine network. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of amitriptyline and its metabolite nortriptyline on the release of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated rat mixed glial and microglial cell cultures. LPS stimulated the release of both cytokines. The exposure of mixed glial culture to amitriptyline and nortriptyline led to a decrease in both IL-1beta and TNF-alpha release. Moreover, amitriptyline reduced LPS-stimulated IL-1beta release by microglial cultures. Although amitriptyline reduced secretion of both cytokines, the drug did not affect IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNAs in mixed cell cultures. Our study has shown for the first time that amitriptyline and nortriptyline administered at concentrations which may be achieved in plasma and brain structures during treatment, inhibit the secretion of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in rat mixed glial and microglial cell cultures. The obtained results support the previous observations that antidepressants are able to reduce peripheral release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and suggest that the cytokine network may be involved in the central mechanism of action of amitriptyline and nortriptyline.

Suppressive Effect of Imipramine on Vincristine-Induced Mechanical Allodynia in Mice

“…8) There were previous reports indicating that antidepressants including TCAs inhibited the production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from microglia and astrocyte cultures. 35,36) These evidences suggest that repeated, but not a single, IMI treatment might suppress VCR-induced mechanical allodynia through the inhibition of microglia activation at the developmental stage, and astrocytes activation at the maintenance stage.…”

Effects of Adjuvant Analgesics on Cerebral Ischemia-Induced Mechanical Allodynia

“…27) Tricyclic antidepressants reportedly inhibited the release of interleukin-1 in mixed glial and microglial cell cultures from rats. 28) Additionally, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor mechanism(s) may modulate imipramine-induced antinociception. 29) The GABA signaling system has been proposed as a target of possible therapies used to promote recovery from …”

Amitriptyline and Acute Inflammation: A Study Using Intravital Microscopy and the Carrageenan-Induced Paw Edema Model

“…Many studies have shown antidepressant effects in reducing proinflammatory cytokines [33][34][35] . Obuchowicz et al [36] showed the ability of amitriptyline to decrease the production of IL-1 ␤ and TNF-␣ in glial cell cultures of rats. Thus, taken together, the literature and the present data suggest that amitriptyline effects on leukocyte behavior might be attributable to the ability of antidepressants to decrease proinflammatory cytokines and, consequently, adhesion molecule expression and/or affinity by their ligands [37] .…”