title: Systemic interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-2 secretion in response to acute stress and to corticotropin-releasing hormone in humans.
abstract: Acute stress results in activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. ACTH and cortisol secretion is stimulated by corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). It has also been shown that activation of the HPA axis during stress is accompanied by changes in the immune response. However, little is known about the influence of acute stress on the release of cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) or interleukin-2 (IL-2). In this study, we determined serum IL-1 alpha and IL-2 levels in 19 patients undergoing the acute stress of angioplasty for coronary artery disease. A second protocol was devised to determine serum IL-1 alpha and IL-2 concentrations as well as lymphocyte subpopulations in 10 normal volunteers receiving 1 microgram kg-1 human CRH intravenously. Finally, IL-1 alpha concentrations were measured in CRH-incubated mononuclear cell (MNC) and monocyte cultures. In response to the stress of angioplasty, ACTH and cortisol as well as IL-1 alpha and IL-2 concentrations were clearly above baseline levels (IL-1 alpha, mean +/- SEM, baseline: 1.39 +/- 0.34 ng ml-1, after angioplasty: 2.64 +/- 0.73 ng ml-1, P < 0.05; IL-2, baseline: 1.2 +/- 0.13 ng ml-1, after angioplasty: 2.8 +/- 1.14 ng ml, P < 0.05). A similar pattern was obtained in normal subjects in response to CRH (Il-1 alpha, baseline: 0.8 +/- 0.2 ng ml-1, after angioplasty: 3.7 +/- 1.4 ng ml-1, P < 0.05; IL-2, baseline: 1.9 +/- 0.4 ng ml-1, after angioplasty: 5.4 +/- 2.2 ng ml-1, P < 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hormone and Fertility Research, University Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bamberger
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Elsen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bamberger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barth
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone