Bidirectional Concentration-Dependent Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha in Shigella dysenteriae-Related Seizures

摘要

We have previously demonstrated that pretreatment of mice with Shigella dysenteriae sonicate enhanced their susceptibility to pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures and that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was proconvulsive in this respect. The present study shows that TNF-α, at high concentrations, may also exert a suppressive effect on Shigella-mediated seizures. This implies that high levels of TNF-α may play a protective role in neurologic complications of S. dysenteriae infection.