Interleukin-1 alpha expression is inducible by cholinergic stimulation in the rat adrenal gland.
Interleukin-1-like immunoreactivity has earlier been demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in the noradrenaline-containing chromaffin cells of the rat adrenal gland [Schultzberg et al. (1989) Neuroscience 30, 805-810; Schultzberg et al. (1987) J. Neurosci. Res. 18, 184-189]. In this study, we examine the regulation, upon cholinergic stimulation, of the expression of the cytokine interleukin-1 alpha in the rat adrenal gland. Interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-1 alpha mRNA levels in the adrenal gland are affected by systemic administration of the cholinergic agonists nicotine (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) and carbachol (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.). Both drugs cause an increase in interleukin-1 alpha mRNA levels. In contrast to the increased mRNA levels, nicotine and carbachol reduce the interleukin-1 alpha protein level measured in the rat adrenal gland: nicotine by approximately 30%, 60 min after injection, and carbachol by approximately 55%, 30 min after injection. The interleukin-1 alpha protein level returns to control level 90 min after nicotine injection, and 120 min after carbachol injection. We thus found a large, constitutively expressed and inducible pool of interleukin-1 alpha in the rat adrenal gland, which appears to be sensitive to cholinergic stimulation and which may be responsible for some of the local and systemic effects of interleukin-1 alpha. Experiments with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide show that this substance, which induces interleukin-1 expression and secretion in macrophages, is also able to induce the expression of interleukin-1 alpha mRNA and interleukin-1 alpha in the adrenal gland when injected at the dose of 2 mg/kg, i.p.
Andersson
C
C
Department of Biochemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory for Natural Sciences, University of Stockholm, Sweden.
Svenson
S B
SB
Van Deventer
S
S
Cerami
A
A
Bartfai
T
T
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D010277:Parasympathomimetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D007375:Interleukin-1; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D010277:Parasympathomimetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger