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Johnson, Rodney W.
Professor, Animal Sciences
B.S., Truman State University
M.S., PhD., University of Illinois
Research Areas
Regulation of inflammatory cytokines in the brain
My research is concerned with the behavioral and neuropatholophysiologic effects of inflammatory cytokines. Activated mononuclear myeloid cells in the periphery (i.e., macrophages) and central nervous system (i.e., microglia) synthesize and secrete the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-a. These molecules act on specific receptors in disparate physiological systems including the brain to coordinate the host‘s response to immunological challenge. When present in the CNS, cytokines alter the neuroendocrine system and induce anorexia, thermogenesis, hypersomnia, and malaise. If unregulated, inflammatory cytokines lead to neurodegeneration. Our research focus is to understand how inflammatory cytokines in the brain are regulated and the role of brain cytokines in anorexia and cachexia in aging and in disease. We use molecular, cellular, and whole animal approaches to study mechanisms of cytokine-induced anorexia and cachexia. Our goal is to understand how inflammatory cytokines are regulated in the brain so that novel strategies can be developed to either prevent or treat the anorexia, cachexia, and neurodegeneration.
Representative Publications
Chen, J., J.B. Buchanan, N.L. Sparkman, J. P. Godbout, G.G. Freund, and R.W. Johnson. 2008. Neuroinflammation and disruption in working memory in aged mice after acute stimulation of the peripheral innate immune system. Brain Behav. Immun. 22:301-311.
Abraham, J., S. Jang, J.P. Godbout, J. Chen, K.W. Kelley, R. Dantzer, and R.W. Johnson. (2006) Aging sensitizes mice to behavioral deficits induced by central HIV-1 gp120. Neurobiol. Aging [Dec 14 Epub ahead of print]
Sparkman, N.L., J.B. Buchanan, J.R.R. Heyen, J. Chen, J.L. Beverly, and R.W. Johnson. (2006) Interleukin-6 facilitates lipopolysaccharide-induced disruption in working memory and expression of other proinflammatory cytokines in hippocampal neuronal cell layers. J. Neurosci. 26:10709-10716.
Godbout, J. P., J. Chen, J. Abraham, A. F. Richwine, B. M. Berg, K. W. Kelley, and R. W. Johnson. 2005. Exaggerated neuroinflammation and sickness in aged mice following activation of the peripheral innate immune system. FASEB. 19:1329-1331.
Richwine, A. F., J. P. Godbout, B. M. Berg, J. Chen, J. Escobar, D. K. Millard, and R. W. Johnson. 2005. Improved psychomotor performance in aged mice fed diet high in antioxidants is associated with .educed ex vivo interleukin-6 production. Brain Behav. Immun. 19:512-520.
Godbout, J. P., B. M. Berg, C. Krzyszton, and R. W. Johnson. 2005. alpha-Tocopherol attenuates NFkB activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in brain and improves recovery from lipopolysaccharide-induced sickness behavior. J. Neuroimmunol. 169:97-105.
Sparkman, N. L., J. B. Buchanan, J. R. R. Heyen, J. Chen, J. L. Beverly, and R. W. Johnson. 2006. Interleukin-6 facilitates lipopolysaccharide-induced disruption in working memory and expression of other proinflammatory cytokines in hippocampal neuronal cell layers. J. Neurosci. 26:10709-10716.
Abraham, J., S. Jang, J. P. Godbout, J. Chen, K. W. Kelley, R. Dantzer, and R. W. Johnson. 2006. Aged mice are more sensitive to behavioral deficits induced by centrally administered HIV-1 gp120. Neurobiol. Aging (currently available as Epub)
Additional Information
Related Research (By Area):
Aging
Neurological and Psychiatric Conditions
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