Interleukin-6 attenuates hyperthermia-induced seizures in developing rats

Previous studies indicated that several cytokines influenced the seizure propensity in convulsive disorders and were the cause of encephalopathies in childhood. We studied the role of one inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6), in hyperthermia-induced seizures in developing rats. Twenty-four male Lewis rats (23–28 days old) were divided into three groups (n = 8/IL-6 (500 ng), IL-6 (50 ng), and saline control groups). We applied human recombinant IL-6 intra-nasally to developing rats 1 h before seizures induced by moist heated air (50 °C). The seizure latency was defined as the time from hyperthermia onset until the appearance of continuous seizure discharges on electroencephalography (EEG), and the seizure duration as the duration of continuous spike and wave discharges on EEG. Five of the eight rats in the IL-6 (500 ng) group, two in the IL-6 (50 ng) group, and one in the control group exhibited no seizure discharges during the 360 s heating period. In these cases, the seizure latency time was regarded as 360 s and the seizure duration time as 0 s. The median seizure latency for the IL-6 (500 ng) group, 360 s (range: 256–360), was significantly longer than that for the control one, 249 (121–360) (P < 0.05). The seizure duration for the IL-6 (500 ng) group, 0 s (0–20), was significantly shorter than that for the control one, 33 (0–76) (P < 0.025). Also, the adenosine receptor antagonist, aminophylline, prevented these effects of IL-6 on hyperthermia-induced seizures. These results indicate that IL-6 plays an anti-convulsive role through the adenosine system in hyperthermia-induced seizures, which might be relevant as to human febrile seizures.