title: Effect of transmitters and co-transmitters of the sympathetic nervous system on interleukin-6 synthesis in thymic epithelial cells.
abstract: In the thymus, sympathetic nerves run in septa in close connection to subcapsular/perivascular thymic epithelial cells (TEC). Since TEC are supposed to create a microenvironment of cytokines necessary for the development of thymocytes to T cells, we investigated the influence of sympathetic transmitters and co-transmitters on interleukin-6 (IL-6) synthesis in cultivated rat TEC that express markers of perivascular/subcapsular TEC. Noradrenaline and ATP stimulated IL-6 production in the culture supernatants 14- and 23-fold over basal values after 24 h. Co-stimulation with noradrenaline and ATP yielded an additive effect. Synthesis of IL-6 was concentration-dependent upon ATP and appeared to be mediated by P2 purinoceptors. During 24 h stimulation with 1 mM ATP, two thirds of the ligand was degraded mainly to ADP, production of AMP and adenosine was minor or negligible. Thus, in TEC, transmitters and co-transmitters of the sympathetic nervous system have a co-stimulatory effect on synthesis of IL-6 that is an important factor for thymocyte differentiation and proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Universität Kiel, Anatomisches Institut, Kiel, Deutschland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: von Patay
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kurz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mentlein
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D015850:Interleukin-6; D013566:Sympathomimetics; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D009638:Norepinephrine