Endotoxin Preconditioning Protects against the Cytotoxic Effects of TNFα after Stroke: A Novel Role for TNFα in LPS-Ischemic Tolerance

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Abstract
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) preconditioning provides neuroprotection against subsequent cerebral ischemic injury. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) is protective in LPS-induced preconditioning yet exacerbates neuronal injury in ischemia. Here, we define dual roles of TNFα in LPS-induced ischemic tolerance in a murine model of stroke and in primary neuronal cultures in vitro, and show that the cytotoxic effects of TNFα are attenuated by LPS preconditioning. We show that LPS preconditioning significantly increases circulating levels of TNFα before middle cerebral artery occlusion in mice and show that TNFα is required to establish subsequent neuroprotection against ischemia, as mice lacking TNFα are not protected from ischemic injury by LPS preconditioning. After stroke, LPS preconditioned mice have a significant reduction in the levels of TNFα (~ threefold) and the proximal TNFα signaling molecules, neuronal TNF-receptor 1 (TNFR1), and TNFR-associated death domain (TRADD). Soluble TNFR1 (s-TNFR1) levels were sig...