title: Localization of interleukin-1 beta mRNA in the cerebral ganglion of the protochordate, Styela plicata.
abstract: There is evidence that interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) plays an important role in several biological functions in mammals where it is synthesized by cells of haematological, dermal and neural origin. Moreover, production of cytokine-like molecules has been demonstrated in some blood cells of non-mammalian vertebrates and invertebrates in which also nerve cells are demonstrated to be IL-1 beta immunoreactive. The purpose of the present study is to demonstrate the IL-1 beta mRNA expression in nerve cells of the ascidian Styela plicata by use of non-isotopic in situ hybridization technique. The expression of IL-1 beta messenger was demonstrated in monopolar neurons in the cortical layer of the cerebral ganglion. The neuronal expression of cytokine-like molecules in tunicates suggests that IL-1 beta is an ancestral and functionally conserved molecule, and that a neuroimmune axis appeared early during the metazoan phylogeny.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Comparative Anatomy, University of Genova, Italy. pesta@unige.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pestarino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Anna
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Masini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sturla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000737:chemistry*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D014561:Urochordata / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger