title: A role of the adrenal gland in stress-induced up-regulation of cytokines in plasma.
abstract: To reveal a pathway by which psychological/physical stresses influence host defense capability, responses to immobilization stress in mice were investigated, focusing on a multifunctional cytokine, interleukin-18 (IL-18). Immobilization stress induced interleukin-18 accumulation in plasma and in the adrenal gland. Inhibition on ACTH resulted in suppressed levels of IL-18 both in plasma and the adrenal gland. In hemi-adrenalectomized mice, plasma IL-18 levels after stress were lower than in sham-operated mice. This, together with the observation in stressed hemi-adrenalectomized mice that IL-6 levels in plasma were suppressed but up-regulated by recombinant IL-18, showed that the adrenal gland plays a crucial role in stress-related elevation of IL-6 in plasma via IL-18. Adrenal gland is highlighted as an organ connecting the psychological, endocrine, and immune systems. Controlling the secretion of IL-18 from the adrenal gland may serve as a possible preventative means against a stress-related disruption of host defenses.
authors.affiliation: Department of stress science, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan. yamen@basic.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Atsuo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sekiyama
authors.forename: Haruyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Shin-ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashiwamura
authors.forename: Kensei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Seiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuwano
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Shigetada
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teshima-Kondo
authors.forename: Kazuhito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rokutan
authors.forename: Haruki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okamura
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000379:methods; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000172:deficiency; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D047468:Immunoprecipitation / Q000379:methods; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000379:methods; D015843:Serpins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D020382:Interleukin-18; D015843:Serpins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; C074641:interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme inhibitor; D020170:Caspase 1