Serum Concentrations of Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines in Wistar Rats Subjected to Immobilization Stress and Treated with Tuftsin-Pro-Gly-Pro Peptide

It was found that 28-day immobilization stress in male Wistar rats leads to significant increase in the serum concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IFNγ, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and a decrease in the content of anti-inflammatory IL-10, as well as the ratio IL-1β/IL-10, IL-6/IL-10, and IFNγ/IL-10 compared to non-stressed animals. Administration of the heptapeptide tuftsin-Pro-Gly-Pro produced a corrective effect on cytokine concentrations under stress conditions: at a dose of 750 μg/kg, the peptide decreased the concentrations of IL-1β, IFNγ, and MCP-1 and cytokine ratios (IL-1β/IL-10 and IFNγ/IL-10), while at a dose of 250 μg/kg, it increased IL-10 levels and decreased IL-6/IL-10 and IFNγ/IL-10 ratios.