Acute diclofenac treatment attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced alterations to basic reward behavior and HPA axis activation in rats.

RATIONALE: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) counteract stress hormone and pro-inflammatory cytokine activation, and are being considered as therapeutics for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. Previous data from our laboratory revealed that repeated treatment with the NSAID diclofenac attenuated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced alterations to reward behavior, implicating a role for NSAIDs in alleviating depressive-like behavior. OBJECTIVES: To extend these findings, we sought to determine whether acute treatment with diclofenac would attenuate LPS-induced alterations to basic reward behavior, as well as neuroendocrine and neuroimmune function. METHODS: Male, Wistar rats (n=8-9/grp) pressed a lever for sucrose pellet reward and after establishing a steady baseline were exposed to an injection of saline (1 ml/kg, SC) or diclofenac (2.5 mg/kg, SC) 30 min prior to a second injection of saline or LPS (20 microg/kg, IP). RESULTS: In saline pre-treated rats, LPS significantly reduced rate of sucrose pellet self-administration and total reinforcers obtained, suggestive of an anhedonia response. In addition, LPS increased corticosterone release, increased plasma intereleukin (IL)-1beta release, increased IL-1beta and IL-6 mRNA in hippocampus, increased corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA in pituitary, and decreased CRH-1 mRNA in pituitary. Importantly, the behavioral and neuroendocrine effects, but not neuroimmune effects, produced by LPS were significantly attenuated in rats pre-treated with diclofenac. CONCLUSIONS: These new data provide a comprehensive assessment of the acute effects of diclofenac on LPS exposure in rats and confirm a role for NSAIDs in attenuating endotoxin-induced anhedonia. Of particular importance, the data reveal that the observed effects are mediated via the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis at the level of the pituitary or above.

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac sodium attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced alterations to reward behavior and corticosterone release.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been shown to counteract stress hormone and pro-inflammatory cytokine activation. To extend these findings, we tested whether the NSAID diclofenac sodium would attenuate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced reductions in reward behavior. In the first experiment, male, Wistar rats pressed a lever for food reward and subsequently received 10 days treatment of saline (1 ml/kg, s.c.) or diclofenac (2.5mg/kg, s.c.). On the subsequent test day, rats were given a final injection of saline or diclofenac 30 min prior to LPS (20 micrograms/kg, i.p.). LPS significantly reduced rate of food self-administration and total reinforcers obtained and increased corticosterone levels in saline-treated rats, while these effects were significantly attenuated in diclofenac-treated rats. In the second experiment, rats pressed a lever for sweetened milk. In contrast to food self-administration, acute LPS exposure did not reduce rate of responding or total reinforcers obtained in either saline- or diclofenac-treated rats. In the third experiment, rats trained to press a lever for sweetened milk were pre-exposed to a high dose of LPS (250 micrograms/kg, i.p.) 2 weeks prior to a challenge injection of LPS. In this case, LPS challenge significantly reduced rate of sweetened milk self-administration, but not total reinforcers obtained, in saline-treated rats. Rats treated with diclofenac did not exhibit reductions in rate of responding or total reinforcers obtained. Overall, the data indicate that the NSAID diclofenac sodium counteracts LPS-induced reductions in reward behavior and corticosterone release, and may therefore have therapeutic potential for specific components of endotoxin-induced sickness behavior, including anhedonia.