title: Human chorionic gonadotropin induces interleukin-1 gene expression in rat Leydig cells in vivo.
abstract: Luteinizing hormone (LH)/human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) causes inflammatory-type responses in the testis. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of hCG on Leydig cell interleukin-1 (IL-1) gene expression. Using monoclonal antibody (ED2) staining for macrophages, our Leydig cell preparations had no significant contamination with macrophages. When purified Leydig cells from normal rats were cultured for 24 h and then treated with IL-1 beta (1-100 ng/ml) for 6 h, IL-1 beta induced dose-dependent increases in IL-1 beta mRNA levels. IL-1 beta also induced IL-1 alpha mRNA accumulation; however, the level of IL-1 alpha mRNA was much lower than that of IL-1 beta mRNA. When rats were treated with either saline or hCG (5 units i.p.), hCG markedly induced IL-1 beta mRNA accumulation in purified Leydig cells at 6 h which persisted for over 24 h. However, hCG had no direct effect on purified Leydig cell or crude interstitial cell IL-1 mRNA levels. Our results suggest that inflammatory effects of hCG in vivo may be mediated by increased IL-1 gene expression in Leydig cells.
authors.affiliation: Medical Service, W.J.B. Dorn Veterans Hospital, Columbia, SC.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nagpal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D007249:Inflammation; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins