Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #89482
Title: INTRA-ADRENAL CYTOKINES: DETECTION OF INTERLEUKIN-1BETA (IL-1B), IL-6 AND TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-ALPHA (TNF-A) MRNA IN THE BOVINE ADRENAL GLAND

Author
item CHITKO-MCKOWN, C - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item LIVINGSTON, K - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item KEMPER GREEN, C - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item Carroll, Jeffery - Jeff Carroll
item MCARTHUR, N - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item MODIANO, J - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item WELSH, T - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Endocrine Society Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/27/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This study assessed the direct actions of IL-1b, IL-6 and TNFa on adrenal steroidogenesis and determined whether mRNAs for these cytokines were expressed in the adrenal gland. Cultures of bovine adrenocortical cells were treated with recombinant human IL-1b, IL-6 or porcine TNFa with or without ACTH, and cortisol content in 4-hr culture supernatants was determined by RIA. Each of the cytokines reduced ACTH-stimulated cortisol production (P<.05). The presence of intra-adrenal mRNA for IL-1b, IL-6 and TNFa was determined in bovine adrenal glands obtained from 19 steers that represented a spectrum of adrenal gland weights (range: 13 to 24 g). Bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were used as positive controls for expression of cytokine mRNA. RT-PCR on PBMC generated bands of 795, 522 and 683 bp for IL-1b, IL-6 and TNFa, respectively. A product of 795 bp was amplified from adrenocortical RNA in 16 steers using IL-1b specific primers; a 520 bp product was detectable in 11 steers using IL-6 specific primers; and a 680 bp product was seen in 13 steers using TNFa specific primers. RNA for all three cytokines was detected in adrenocortical samples from 10 steers, and no steer was negative for all three cytokines. Steers with detectable mRNA for all three cytokines had intermediate adrenal gland weights, and those that were negative for 1 or 2 cytokines generally had adrenal gland weights in the lower (<16 g) or higher (>22 g) ends of the sample population. The data suggest that expression of IL-1b, IL-6 and TNFa genes (or related genes) occurs in the bovine adrenal gland and that adrenal steroidogenesis may be affected by these cytokines.