title: Direct effects of interleukin-6 on human adrenal cells.
abstract: Interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is expressed in the human adrenal gland, was found to be a very potent activator of the human HPA axis. So far nothing is known about a local paracrine or autocrine influence of IL-6 within the human adrenal. In this study, the expression of IL-6 and the IL-6 receptor by human adrenal cells in vitro could be demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. Possible effects of IL-6 on steroid release were tested by incubating human adrenal cells in vitro with IL-6 [10(-8) M]. Adrenal steroids were stimulated by IL-6: aldosterone 184 +/- 23, cortisol 198 +/- 19, DHEA 140 +/- 8 and androstenedione 136 +/- 5 (results are means +/- s.e.m. in %). In conclusion, IL-6 can act directly on human adrenal cells and appears to be an important paracrine or autocrine factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Päth
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bornstein
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Späth-Schwalbe
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Scherbaum
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000378:metabolism; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000032:analysis; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D000450:Aldosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone