Upregulation of IL-1 Receptor Antagonist in a Mouse Model of Migraine

• Main Authors: Salvo Danilo Lombardo, Emanuela Mazzon, Maria Sofia Basile, Eugenio Cavalli, Placido Bramanti, Riccardo Nania, Paolo Fagone, Ferdinando Nicoletti, Maria Cristina Petralia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-07-01
• Series: Brain Sciences
• Subjects: migraine; IL-1RN; cortical spreading depression; mouse model
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/9/7/172

Migraine is a disorder characterized by attacks of monolateral headaches, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and photophobia. Around 30% of patients also report aura symptoms. The cause of the aura is believed to be related to the cortical spreading depression (CSD), a wave of neuronal and glial depolarization originating in the occipital cortex, followed by temporary neuronal silencing. During a migraine attack, increased expression of inflammatory mediators, along with a decrease in the expression of anti-inflammatory genes, have been observed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of inflammatory genes, in particular that of IL-1 receptor antagonist <i>(IL-1RN)</i>, following CSD in a mouse model of familial hemiplegic migraine type 1 (FHM-1). We show here that the expression of <i>IL-1RN</i> was upregulated after the CSD, suggesting a possible attempt to modulate the inflammatory response. This study allows researchers to better understand the development of the disease and aids in the search for new therapeutic strategies in migraine.