title: Action of interleukin-2 and interleukin-4 on CRF mRNA in the hypothalamus and POMC mRNA in the anterior pituitary.
abstract: We have used the technique of in situ hybridization histochemistry to determine corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) mRNA in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA in the anterior pituitary of rats given a single ip injection of either interleukin (IL)-2 or IL-4. IL-2 increased POMC mRNA in the anterior pituitary in a dose-dependent manner. The effect was apparent both at 4 and 24 h after injection. No effect of IL-2 on CRF mRNA in the PVN was detected in these animals, suggesting that the increase in POMC mRNA was not driven by an increase in CRF. IL-4 was without effect at the hypothalamic level although this cytokine did result in a decrease in POMC mRNA in the anterior pituitary.
authors.affiliation: Neuroendocrinology Unit, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, Charing Cross Hospital, London, England.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Harbuz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stephanou
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Chover-Gonzalez
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lightman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone