Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorsgamma (PPARgamma) differently modulate the interleukin-6 expression in the peri-infarct cortical tissue in the acute and delayed phases of cerebral ischaemia.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) exerts neuroprotective effects after cerebral ischaemia but can also exacerbate inflammation and induce neuronal death. The current study investigates the role of cerebral peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor(s) gamma (PPARgamma) in the regulation of IL-6 expression in the peri-infarct cortical tissue in rats exposed to focal cerebral ischaemia. Pioglitazone, a high-affinity PPARgamma ligand, was infused intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) via osmotic minipumps over a 5-day period before, during and 24 h or 48 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 90 min followed by reperfusion. The expression of PPARgamma and IL-6 in cortical tissue adjacent to the ischaemic core was studied 24 h and 48 h after MCAO. Pioglitazone augmented the ischaemia-induced upregulation of PPARgamma at both time points. Cerebral ischaemia substantially increased IL-6 expression in the peri-infarct cortical tissue. Twenty-four hours after MCAO, the majority of microglial cells/macrophages showed an intense IL-6 immunoreactivity. IL-6 was also localized in neurons, but the distribution of neurons positively stained for IL-6 at the border of the infarct was very heterogeneous. Pioglitazone effectively decreased the number of IL-6-immunoreactive cells and IL-6 protein levels at 24 h but not at 48 h after MCAO. Pioglitazone treatment reduced the infarct size and improved neurological functions. The present study demonstrates that cerebral PPARgamma suppresses the expression of IL-6 in ischaemic brain tissue during the initial phase of ischaemic stroke, in which the overproduction of IL-6 may aggravate neuronal damage, but not at later time points, when IL-6 promotes neuroprotection and inhibits neuronal death.

Peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptors gamma and peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptors beta/delta and the regulation of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist expression by pioglitazone in ischaemic brain.

OBJECTIVE: The imbalance between the production and release of interleukin-1 (IL-1) ligands, IL-1alpha, IL-1beta and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) in ischaemic brain exaggerates inflammatory responses and contributes to neuronal death. Cerebral ischaemia also upregulates the peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma. We studied in rats the effects of the PPARgamma agonist, pioglitazone, on the regulation of IL-1beta, IL-1ra and IL-1 receptor I (IL-1RI) expression in ischaemic brain after occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 90 min. METHODS: Pioglitazone or vehicle was infused intracerebroventricularly over a 5-day period before, during and 24 or 48 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion. The expression of IL-1beta, IL-1ra and IL-1RI in the peri-infarct cortex was investigated by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. The mechanisms of the IL-1ra regulation by pioglitazone and the neuroprotection under excitotoxic neuronal injury were studied in primary cortical neurones expressing PPARgamma and PPAR beta/delta. RESULTS: Cerebral ischaemia increased the expression of IL-1beta, IL-1RI and IL-1ra in the ischaemic cortex. Pioglitazone reduced IL-1beta, but upregulated IL-1ra and increased the number of IL-1ra immunoreactive cells. In primary cortical neurones, pioglitazone stimulated the IL-1ra production via activation of the PPARbeta/delta, but prevented excitotoxic neuronal injury and death by a PPARgamma-dependent mechanism. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that activation of PPARgamma and PPAR beta/delta by proglitazone in neurones triggers diverse neuroprotective mechanisms. The restoration of the equilibrium between I1-1beta and IL-1ra in ischaemic brain tissue limits IL-1beta signalling, reduces inflammatory responses and is an important mechanism by which thiazolidinediones improve the recovery from ischaemic stroke.