title: Effects of glucocorticoids and chronic inflammatory stress upon anterior pituitary interleukin-6 mRNA expression in the rat.
abstract: During development of adjuvant arthritis (AA) in the rat, anterior pituitary interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA expression was increased. Following adrenalectomy and AA there was a further increase in the accumulation of pituitary IL-6 transcript. Corticosterone (B) replacement in adrenalectomized (ADX) animals resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in pituitary IL-6 mRNA accumulation, while in ADX plus AA animals these effects of B were less marked. Cyclosporine A (CsA) markedly reduced the AA-induced increase in IL-6 mRNA. These data are consistent with an immunologically-mediated activation of pituitary IL-6 mRNA in AA, which may contribute to the increased activity of the pituitary-adrenal axis seen in this condition.
authors.affiliation: Neuroendocrinology Unit, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, Charing Cross Hospital, London.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Sarlis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stephanou
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lightman
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Chowdrey
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016572:Cyclosporine; D003345:Corticosterone