Induction of interleukin-1β by activated microglia is a prerequisite for immunologically induced fatigue.

We previously reported that an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of synthetic double-stranded RNA, polyriboinosinic:polyribocytidylic acid (poly-I:C), produced prolonged fatigue in rats, which might serve as a model for chronic fatigue syndrome. The poly-I:C-induced fatigue was associated with serotonin transporter (5-HTT) overexpression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain region that has been suggested to be critical for fatigue sensation. In the present study, we demonstrated that microglial activation in the PFC was important for poly-I:C-induced fatigue in rats, as pretreatment with minocycline, an inhibitor of microglial activation, prevented the decrease in running wheel activity. Poly-I:C injection increased the microglial interleukin (IL)-1β expression in the PFC. An intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of IL-1β neutralising antibody limited the poly-I:C-induced decrease in activity, whereas IL-1β (i.c.v.) reduced the activity in a dose-dependent manner. 5-HTT expression was enhanced by IL-1β in primary cultured astrocytes but not in microglia. Poly-I:C injection (i.p.) caused an increase in 5-HTT expression in astrocytes in the PFC of the rat, which was inhibited by pretreatment with minocycline (i.p.) and rat recombinant IL-1 receptor antagonist (i.c.v.). Poly-I:C injection (i.p.) led to a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier and enhanced Toll-like receptor 3 signaling in the brain. Furthermore, direct application of poly-I:C enhanced IL-1β expression in primary microglia. We therefore propose that poly-I:C-induced microglial activation, which may be at least partly caused by a direct action of poly-I:C, enhances IL-1β expression. Then, IL-1β induces 5-HTT expression in astrocytes, resulting in the immunologically induced fatigue.