Cytokines and chemokines as biomarkers of ethanol-induced neuroinflammation and anxiety-related behavior: Role of TLR4 and TLR2

Recent evidence supports the influence of neuroimmune system activation on behavior. We have demonstrated that ethanol activates the innate immune system by stimulating toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling in glial cells, which triggers the release of inflammatory mediators and causes neuroinflammation. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the ethanol-induced up-regulation of cytokines and chemokines is associated with anxiety-related behavior, 24 h after ethanol removal, and if TLR4 or TLR2 is involved in these effects. We used WT, TLR4-KO and TLR2-KO mice treated with alcohol for 5 months to show that chronic ethanol consumption increases the levels of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-17, TNF-α) and chemokines (MCP-1, MIP-1α, CX3CL1) in the striatum and serum (MCP-1, MIP-1α, CX3CL1) of WT mice. Alcohol deprivation for 24 h induces IFN-γ levels in the striatum and maintains high levels of some cytokines (IL-1β, IL-17) and chemokines (MIP-1α, CX3CL1) in this brain region. The latter events were associated with an increase in anxiogenic-related behavior, as evaluated by the dark and light box and the elevated plus maze tests. Notably, mice lacking TLR4 or TLR2 receptors are largely protected against ethanol-induced cytokine and chemokine release, and behavioral associated effects during alcohol abstinence. These data support the role of TLR4 and TLR2 responses in neuroinflammation and in anxiogenic-related behavior effects during ethanol deprivation, and also provide evidence that chemokines and cytokines can be biomarkers of ethanol-induced neuroimmune response. •Ethanol treatment increases cytokine and chemokine levels in brain and serum.•Ethanol-deprivation changes brain cytokine levels and induces anxiety behavior.•The results highlight the role of neuroimmune/TLRs activation in cytokine production and anxiogenic-like effects in withdrawal.