Japanese Encephalitis Virus infection induces IL-18 and IL-1β in microglia and astrocytes: Correlation with in vitro cytokine responsiveness of glial cells and subsequent neuronal death

IL-1β and IL-18 are members of the IL-1 family of ligands, and their receptors are members of the IL-1 receptor family. Although several biological properties overlap for these cytokines, differences exist. In order to assess functional importance of these two cytokines in viral encephalitis, we have exploited an experimental model of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and subsequent in vitro cell culture system. We report for the first time that in Japanese Encephalitis, microglia and astrocytes both produce IL-18 and IL-1β. In vitro, these two cytokines differentially activate microglia and astrocyte, and also alter the by stander neuronal survival following treatment with these two cytokines.