Interleukin-6 stimulates the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone in conscious, freely-moving rats.
In order to assess the effect of interleukin-6 on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, we administered recombinant human interleukin-6 to conscious, freely-moving rats. The intravenous injection of interleukin-6 significantly increased the plasma level of adrenocorticotropic hormone 30 min after the injection in a dose-related manner. Immunoneutralization of corticotropin-releasing hormone blocked the stimulatory effects of interleukin-6 on adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion. These observations suggest that interleukin-6 stimulates the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone through the corticotropin-releasing hormone and is possibly involved in the interaction between the neuroendocrine and immune system.
Naitoh
Y
Y
Department of Anesthesiology, Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
Fukata
J
J
Tominaga
T
T
Nakai
Y
Y
Tamai
S
S
Mori
K
K
Imura
H
H
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone