title: The effect of gamma interferon on interleukin 1 release of human monocytes. Dependence on the activating agent and correlation to the mRNA levels.
abstract: The effect of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) on interleukin 1 (IL-1) production by human monocytes induced either by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or silica dust was examined. Release of biologically active IL-1 from LPS-activated monocytes was enhanced in a dose-dependent manner with IFN-gamma. The augmenting effect of IFN-gamma was most marked in monocytes stimulated with a sub-optimal dose of LPS (1 ng/ml). IFN-gamma delivered the augmenting effect only if present at the beginning of the IL-1 induction. The IL-1 released in the presence of IFN-gamma was characterized by gel filtration on fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) and by isoelectric focusing; the augmented form of IL-1 was a 17 kDa molecule, with pI 7, i.e. IL-1 beta. In contrast to these data, IFN-gamma had a decreasing effect on IL-1 release by monocytes stimulated with silica dust; in monocyte cultures stimulated with a sub-optimal dose of silica (100 micrograms/ml), only minute amounts of biologically active IL-1 were released in the presence of IFN-gamma. With higher silica concentrations the decreasing effect was less strong. The effects of IFN-gamma on the levels of IL-1 beta mRNA were also analysed. IFN-gamma did not alter the accumulation of IL-1 beta mRNA in LPS-stimulated monocytes. In contrast, in silica-stimulated monocytes IFN-gamma reduced the steady-state levels of IL-1 beta mRNA. Thus, these data indicate that, depending on the stimulating agent, IFN-gamma either down- or up-regulates IL-1 production; the former takes place mainly at the level of transcription, while the latter occurs with post-transcriptional mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sihvola
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hurme
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma