Changes of the interleukin-6 levels in skin at different sites after thermal injury.
OBJECTIVE
To delineate the regulation of IL-6 production in unburned skin adjacent to a burn in an animal model.


METHODS
In C57BL/6 mice, at 15, 30, and 60 minutes after a 20% full-thickness burn, skin was removed from various sites. Control samples were obtained from unburned mice. Normal skins were incubated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1alpha), IL-1 beta, and IL-6. Unburned skin specimens were incubated with anti-TNF-alpha and IL-1alpha antibodies. Cytokine levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
The burn increased the IL-6 levels at 30 minutes (p < 0.05) and the IL-1alpha levels at 15 and 60 minutes in the unburned skin. TNF-alpha, IL-1alpha, and IL-1beta increased IL-6 production in normal skin (p < 0.05). Anti-IL-1alpha antibody decreased IL-6 production in the unburned skin (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
IL-1alpha modulates IL-6 production in unburned skin after injury. IL-6 and IL-1alpha might contribute to the alterations after a burn.
Kawakami
M
M
Department of Traumatology and Critical Care Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan. kawakami@ndmc.ac.jp
Terai
C
C
Okada
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha