title: alpha-MSH production, receptors, and influence on neopterin in a human monocyte/macrophage cell line.
abstract: alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), a tridecapeptide derived from pro-opiomelanocortin, has potent antiinflammatory activity in laboratory animals. alpha-MSH inhibits nitric oxide production by murine macrophages, an influence believed to reflect activation of an autocrine circuit in these cells, one that is based on production and release of alpha-MSH and subsequent stimulation of melanocortin receptors. We found that THP-1 cells, human monocytic cells, produced alpha-MSH; this production was increased by interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor a, or concanavalin A. These cells also expressed the gene for the human alpha-MSH receptor MC1. Unlike murine macrophages, THP-1 cells produced little nitrite in response to interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and lipopolysaccharide, and a-MSH inhibited this production only slightly. However, production of neopterin, a presumed primate homologue of nitric oxide in lower animals, was increased in THP-1 cells stimulated with INF-gamma plus TNF-alpha and alpha-MSH significantly inhibited this production. The evidence indicates that an autocrine regulatory circuit based on alpha-MSH occurs in human monocyte/macrophages much as in murine macrophages. alpha-MSH-induced modulation of specific inflammatory mediators/cytotoxic agents appears to differ depending on the importance of the mediators in the myelomonocytic cells of different species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas 75235-9040, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rajora
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ceriani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Catania
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Star
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lipton
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019798:Neopterin; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin; D011979:Receptors, Pituitary Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009573:Nitrites; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin; D011979:Receptors, Pituitary Hormone; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003208:Concanavalin A; D001708:Biopterins; D000521:alpha-MSH; D019798:Neopterin; C029446:MSH receptor; D007371:Interferon-gamma