title: Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1beta enhance the cortisone/cortisol shuttle.
abstract: Endogenously released or exogenously administered glucocorticosteroids are relevant hormones for controlling inflammation. Only 11beta-hydroxy glucocorticosteroids, but not 11-keto glucocorticosteroids, activate glucocorticoid receptors. Since we found that glomerular mesangial cells (GMC) express 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11beta-OHSD1), which interconverts 11-keto glucocorticosteroids into 11beta-hydroxy glucocorticosteroids (cortisone/cortisol shuttle), we explored whether 11beta-OHSD1 determines the antiinflammatory effect of glucocorticosteroids. GMC exposed to interleukin (IL)-1beta or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) release group II phospholipase A2 (PLA2), a key enzyme producing inflammatory mediators. 11beta-hydroxy glucocorticosteroids inhibited cytokine-induced transcription and release of PLA2 through a glucocorticoid receptor-dependent mechanism. This inhibition was enhanced by inhibiting 11beta-OHSD1. Interestingly, 11-keto glucocorticosteroids decreased cytokine-induced PLA2 release as well, a finding abrogated by inhibiting 11beta-OHSD1. Stimulating GMC with IL-1beta or TNF-alpha increased expression and reductase activity of 11beta-OHSD1. Similarly, this IL-1beta- and TNF-alpha-induced formation of active 11beta-hydroxy glucocorticosteroids from inert 11-keto glucocorticosteroids by the 11beta-OHSD1 was shown in the Kiki cell line that expresses the stably transfected bacterial beta-galactosidase gene under the control of a glucocorticosteroids response element. Thus, we conclude that 11beta-OHSD1 controls access of 11beta-hydroxy glucocorticosteroids and 11-keto glucocorticosteroids to glucocorticoid receptors and thus determines the anti-inflammatory effect of glucocorticosteroids. IL-1beta and TNF-alpha upregulate specifically the reductase activity of 11beta-OHSD1 and counterbalance by that mechanism their own proinflammatory effect.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, University Hospital of Berne, 3010 Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Escher
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Vishwanath
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Frey
mesh_terms: D042842:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D000818:Animals; D003348:Cortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000201:enzymology*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006913:Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000378:metabolism; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D006913:Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D042842:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D003348:Cortisone; D006854:Hydrocortisone