INTERLEUKIN-6 (IL-6) AND TYPE I INTERFERON (INF) SIGNALING ARE NECESSARY TO INDUCE NEURONAL DEATH BY BRUCELLA ABORTUS-ACTIVATED MICROGLIA

JULIA RODRIGUEZ; DE SANTIS ARÉVALO, JULIA; ANA M. RODRÍGUEZ; GIAMBARTOLOMEI, GUILLERMO H

San Luis

Congreso; Congreso Anual de SAI; 2023

SAI

Neurobrucellosis is an inflammatory disease caused by Brucella spp infection of the central nervous system. We have previously demonstrated that B. abortus-infected microglia induces neuronal death through primary phagocytosis of live neurons. This particular mechanism of cellular death involves the activation of microglia and requires 2 conditions to take place: the secretion of nitric oxide and an increase in microglial phagocytic capacity. Since IL-6 and type I IFN have been implicated in the modulation of diverse neuropathological diseases; and considering that activated microglia are capable of secrete various pro-inflammatory mediators, we aimed to investigate the role of these cytokines in the induction of primary phagocytosis. Neurons/microglia co-cultures from BALB/c mice were infected or not with B. abortus for 48 h, in the presence of IL-6, IFN-β or IFNAR (type I interferon receptor) neutralizing antibodies . After that, neuronal density in co-cultures was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy. Neutralization of IL-6 (p