Human lymphocyte growth hormone stimulates interferon gamma production and is inhibited by cortisol and norepinephrine.
Lymphocyte growth hormone (L-GH) is distributed throughout the human immune system; however, its biologic role has not been defined. In order to clarify this issue, we determined if Candida, commonly used as a recall antigen, and IL-12, an important monocyte cytokine that stimulates the TH1 cytokine pathway, could stimulate L-GH mRNA synthesis in cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Both Candida and IL-12 produced significant (p<0.01) stimulation of L-GH mRNA synthesis and the TH1 cytokine, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma). These effects on IFN-gamma production were significantly (p<0.001) inhibited by a GH antagonist, suggesting that L-GH was acting by an autocrine or paracrine mechanism to enhance IFN-gamma production in these serum-free cultured cells. Concentrations of norepinephrine and cortisol achievable in humans during stress were able to significantly (p<0.001) decrease L-GH synthesis in the PBMCs. They also diminished IFN-gamma significantly (p<0.001), but not the TH2 cytokine, IL-10, in the supernatants of the cultured PBMLs. These studies suggest that L-GH plays a role in cellular immune function mediated via the TH-1 pathway.
Malarkey
William B
WB
Department of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. Malarkey-1@medctr.osu.edu
Wang
Juan
J
Cheney
Carolyn
C
Glaser
Ronald
R
Nagaraja
Haikady
H
D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000502:physiology
C422172:B 2036; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine