title: Interferon-gamma and interferon-beta affect endogenous catecholamines in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells: implications for multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Interferon (IFN)-gamma plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), while IFN-beta may be able to modify the clinical course of the disease, eventually also by counterbalancing IFN-gamma-mediated effects. Catecholamines (CA) exert important effects on the immune response, both as transmitters between the nervous and the immune system, as well as autocrine/paracrine mediators in immune cells, and several lines of evidence support their involvement in MS. In particular, dysregulated production of CA seems to occur in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of MS patients. We assessed the effects of IFN-beta and IFN-gamma on endogenous CA in PBMCs. In cultured PBMCs stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), IFN-beta increased CA production and induced CA release in the culture medium, while IFN-gamma decreased both CA production and the expression of mRNA for the CA-synthesizing enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. Coincubation with both IFNs prevented the inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma, as well as the stimulatory effect of IFN-beta. IFNs are the first physiological compounds shown to affect endogenous CA in PBMCs: in view of the role of CA-dependent mechanisms in the immune response, these findings may help to better understand the mechanisms of action of IFN-beta as an immunomodulatory drug in MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Section of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Insubria, Via Ottorino Rossi n. 9, 21100 Varese VA, Italy. marco.cosentino@uninsubria.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cosentino
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaffaroni
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bombelli
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rasini
authors.forename: Gianmario
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frigo
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghezzi
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Comi
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lecchini
mesh_terms: D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016899:Interferon-beta; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase