Weakened [corrected] taste-LPS association during endotoxin tolerance

Physiol Behav. 2008 Jan 28;93(1-2):261-6. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.08.022. Epub 2007 Sep 5.

Abstract

In naive individuals, the administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) provokes a rapid systemic increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6, inducing an acute phase response including sickness behavior. Strong associative learning occurs when relevant gustatory/olfactory stimuli precede the activation of the immune system, affecting long-term individual food selection and nutritional strategies. Repeated LPS administration results in the development of an endotoxin tolerance status, characterized by a drastic reduction in the LPS-induced cytokine response. Here we investigated how the postprandial categorization of a relevant taste (0.2% saccharin) changed after administration of a high dose of LPS (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) in LPS-tolerant animals. Determination of the consummatory fluid intake revealed that, in contrast to LPS-naive rats, taste-LPS association did not occur during endotoxin tolerance. Ninety minutes after the single association trial, the plasma responses of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 were completely blunted in LPS-tolerant animals, which also resulted in low LPS-adipsogenic and LPS-anorexic effects. These findings indicate that an identical immune challenge can result in completely different neuro-behavioral consequences depending on the immune history of the individual, thus revealing part of the complex interconnection between the immune and neuro-endocrine systems in regulating food selection and consumption during the infectious process.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Association Learning / physiology*
  • Conditioning, Classical / physiology
  • Drinking Behavior / physiology
  • Feeding Behavior / physiology*
  • Interleukin-1beta / blood
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology*
  • Male
  • Neuroimmunomodulation / immunology
  • Neuroimmunomodulation / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Sick Role
  • Taste / immunology
  • Taste / physiology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood

Substances

  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Interleukin-6
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha