Acute and chronic stress differently alter the expression of cytokine and neuronal markers genes in zebrafish brain
Karina Kirsten, Aline Pompermaier, Gessi Koakoski, Suelen Mendonça-Soares, Roberta Angnes da Costa, Victória Costa Maffi, Luiz Carlos Kreutz, Leonardo José Gil Barcellos
Abstract
). Fish were distributed into three groups: the non-stressed control group; the acute stress (AS) group, submitted to a single stressing episode; and the unpredictable chronic stress (UCS) group, submitted to two daily stressing episodes of alternating times and types of stress. The stressing protocols were applied for a period of 14 days. The UCS protocol triggered the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine genes IL-1β and TNF-α, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (negative feedback from the immune system), reduction in cFOS gene expression, and caused neuro-inflammation. The AS protocol had no effect on gene expression. Altered expression of cytokine genes, as observed in our study, correlates with several pathologies associated with neuro-inflammation, and the reduction of cFOS gene expression may indicate the occurrence of reduced neuronal plasticity. Our study further extends our knowledge about the interaction of the immune system and the different forms of stress.