title: Glucocorticoid inhibition of interleukin-1-induced interleukin-6 production by human lung fibroblasts: evidence for transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms.
abstract: Interleukin (IL)-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine produced by a wide variety of cells including fibroblasts, macrophages, endothelial cells, and T and B lymphocytes. Regulated IL-6 production is an important part of normal biologic homeostasis, and abnormal IL-6 production has been associated with a large number of diseases including asthma and lung allograft rejection. Glucocorticoids are potent anti-inflammatory agents that are widely used to suppress pulmonary inflammation. To further understand the mechanisms underlying this inhibition, we determined whether glucocorticoid compounds regulate human lung fibroblast IL-6 production and characterized the mechanisms of the effects that were noted. These studies demonstrate that glucocorticoids inhibit IL-1-induced IL-6 production in a dose-dependent fashion. A greater than 95% decrease in IL-6 production was seen with 10(-6) and 10(-7) M dexamethasone, prednisolone, and hydrocortisone, and IC50 values for these agents were approximately 5 x 10(-10), 5 x 10(-9), and 10(-8) M, respectively. mRNA analysis demonstrated that these alterations in protein production were associated with proportionate decreases in IL-6 mRNA accumulation, and that this suppression of IL-6 mRNA could be reversed by the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU 486. Nuclear run-on studies demonstrated that glucocorticoids inhibit-IL-1-induced IL-6 gene transcription. However, the magnitude of this effect could not fully account for the potency of the glucocorticoid-induced alterations in IL-6 mRNA accumulation and protein production since 10(-6) M dexamethasone caused only a 50% decrease in IL-1-induced IL-6 gene transcription.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510-8057.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zitnik
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Whiting
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Elias
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D015735:Mifepristone; D003907:Dexamethasone; D011239:Prednisolone; D006854:Hydrocortisone