Interleukin-1 stimulates corticotropin-releasing factor gene expression in rat hypothalamus.
To examine the effect of interleukin-1 (IL-1) on CRF and POMC gene expression, recombinant human IL-1 alpha and -beta were ip injected in rats. The plasma ACTH level showed a dose-related increase at 2 h after the injection of 0.5 and 2 micrograms IL-1 alpha and -beta, and also showed a sustained increase from 1 h until 5 h after the injection of 2 micrograms of IL-1 beta. CRF contents in the medial basal hypothalamus and ACTH contents in the anterior pituitary (AP) decreased at 2 h after the injection of 2 micrograms of IL-1 alpha and -beta, and such decreased levels were maintained until 5 h after the injection of 2 micrograms of IL-1 beta. The levels of CRF mRNA in the hypothalamus and POMC mRNA in AP significantly increased 3 h after the injection of 2 micrograms IL-1 alpha and -beta, and these levels were still higher at 5 h after the injection of 2 micrograms of IL-1 beta compared with those of the control. There was no significant change in the ACTH content and POMC mRNA levels in the intermediate-posterior pituitary or the hypothalamus or in the CRF contents and CRF mRNA levels in the cerebral cortex. These results indicate that acute administration of IL-1 alpha and -beta stimulates gene expression of hypothalamic CRF and CRF release, which causes the stimulation of ACTH release and POMC gene expression in AP.
Suda
T
T
Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan.
Tozawa
F
F
Ushiyama
T
T
Sumitomo
T
T
Yamada
M
M
Demura
H
H
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone