title: Stimulation of endothelin B receptor modulates the inflammatory activation of rat astrocytes.
abstract: Inside the brain tissue, endothelins play numerous important biological roles. One of the targets, astrocytes, predominantly display endothelin receptor subtype B (ET(B)). On cultured primary rat astroglial cells, we analyzed the effect of IRL1620, a selective ET(B) receptor agonist, on the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the synthesis of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. We performed these experiments in the presence or absence of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and/or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). IRL1620 decreases NO production under basal conditions and after IFN-gamma stimulation. However, during LPS-induced NO production, IRL1620 enhances this release. The basal IL-6 secretion and especially the LPS-induced synthesis are enhanced by the IRL1620 stimulation. The LPS-dependent TNF-alpha production is increased by the ET(B) stimulation. The IRL1620-induced decrease of basal NO production is not dependent on Ca2+ entry or on phospholipase C (PLC) activation, as shown by the use of LaCl3 and U73122, respectively. In the presence of LPS, the IRL1620 potentiation of NO production is inhibited by LaCl3 and U73122. The IRL1620-induced increase of IL-6 is dependent on PLC activation. These results suggest that endothelins can have dual effects depending on the costimulatory factors present. Endothelins thus have important immunomodulatory functions in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Neuroimmunologie and Inflammation, Centre de Recherche Public de la Santé, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morga
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heuschling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004357:Drug Synergism; D016232:Endothelins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000502:physiology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C074308:sovateltide; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010738:Type C Phospholipases