Type I and type II interferons upregulate functional type I interleukin-1 receptor in a human fibroblast cell line TIG-1

[Interluekin-1: from regulation of cell proliferation to chronic inflammatory diseases]

  Interleukin 1 (IL-1) was initially defined as a factor which is produced by macrophages and exhibits proliferative activity on thymocytes and fibroblasts, B cell activation and endogenous pyrogen activity. Now IL-1 is known to exhibit pleiotropic activities on various cell types and play important roles in the regulation of immune, nervous and endocrine systems, progression of tumor cells, hematopoietic cell proliferation/differentiation and especially in inflammatory diseases. In 1985 I found that IL-1 exhibits cytocidal activity against human melanoma cells. Since then I have been engaged in the research of various aspects of IL-1. This review summarizes current knowledge of IL-1, including our research and beneficial effect of IL-1 blocking on inflammatory diseases.

[In vitro and in vivo study of regulation mechanisms of type I interleukin-1 receptor]

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is one of the inflammatory cytokines, which plays a pivotal role in both host defense and homeostasis. Its signal is transduced by type I IL-1 receptor (IL-1RI). This report gives an insight into the regulatory mechanism of IL-1RI in both in vitro and in vivo. IL-1 up-regulates IL-1RI through prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production on human fibroblasts. However, in the presence of indomethacin, IL-1 down-regulates the receptor by destabilizing IL-1 receptor mRNA. Type I and type II interferons (IFNs) up-regulate the expression of IL-1RI. This up-regulation leads to the increasing susceptibility of IL-1RI to IL-1, as the DNA binding of IL-1-induced NF-kappa B and the production of IL-1-induced IL-6 from the fibroblasts are augmented by pretreatment with IFNs. On the other hand, the expression of cell surface IL-1RI is inhibited by tyrosine kinase inhibitors, herbimycin and genistein, resulting in reduction of the kinase activity of IRAK (IL-1 receptor associated kinase) and IL-1-induced IL-6 production from the fibroblasts. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) augments the expression of IL-1RI mRNA and cell surface molecule in the hepatocytes of mice in vivo, and the augmentation is mediated by the interaction of IL-1, IL-6, and of glucocorticoid (GC). When hepatocytes were pretreated with dexamethasone (Dex) and IL-6, the activation of IRAK was augmented in response to IL-1, indicating that IL-1 signaling is also up-regulated. In addition, IL-1 treatment ather combined administration of Dex and IL-6 into mice markedly increased the serum level of serum amyloid A. These data suggest that the expression of IL-1RI is regulated by inflammatory cytokines, PGE2, GC and LPS in vitro and in vivo. This study shows that the biological activity of IL-1 can be controlled by regulating the expression of IL-1RI, and therefore proposes the use of pharmaceutical drugs for the regulation of cytokine expression.

Dynamic regulation of the proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1beta: molecular biology for non-molecular biologists

Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) is a key mediator and modulator of a wide array of physiological responses important for survival. It is created by a variety of cell types, including immune cells, glia, and neurons. It is a very potent biological molecule, acting both at the periphery as well as within the central nervous system. The production and release of IL-1beta is tightly regulated by far more complex processes than previously thought. An appreciation of this complexity is necessary for proper interpretation of apparent contradictions in the literature where different aspects of IL-1beta expression are measured. Given that many researchers are not molecular biologists by training, yet need an appreciation of the controls that regulate the function of key proteins such as IL-1beta, this review is aimed at both: (a) clarifying the multiple levels at which IL-1beta production is modulated and (b) using IL-1beta regulation to explain the dynamics of gene regulation to non-molecular biologists. Three major topics will be discussed. First, regulation of IL-1beta production will be examined at every level from extracellular signals that trigger gene activation through release of active protein into the extracellular fluid. Second, regulation of IL-1beta bioavailability and bioactivity will be discussed. This section examines the fact that even after IL-1beta is released, it may or may not be able to exert a biological action due to multiple modulatory factors. Last is the introduction of the idea that IL-1beta regulation is, at times, beyond the direct control of host; that is, when IL-1beta production becomes dysregulated by pathogens.

Augmentation of Type I IL-1 Receptor Expression and IL-1 Signaling by IL-6 and Glucocorticoid in Murine Hepatocytes

IL-1 signal is transduced through type I receptor (IL-1RI). We have recently reported that LPS augments IL-1RI mRNA expression in the hepatocytes of mice in vivo, and the augmentation is mediated by the interaction of IL-1, IL-6, and glucocorticoid (GC). In this study, we examined whether IL-1RI mRNA expression level in the hepatocytes reflects those of cell surface molecule and IL-1 signaling. When primary cultured murine hepatocytes were treated with dexamethasone (Dex) or IL-6, these two reagents synergistically up-regulated IL-1RI mRNA expression in the cells. 125I-labeled IL-1 binding experiment showed that the level of binding was also up-regulated by the treatment with Dex and IL-6. Scatchard analysis revealed that the number of IL-1R increased. The increased binding of IL-1 was completely inhibited by an Ab against murine IL-1RI, indicating that Dex and IL-6 augmented the expression of cell surface IL-1RI molecule. When hepatocytes were pretreated with Dex and IL-6, the activation of IL-1R-associated kinase was augmented in response to IL-1, indicating that IL-1 signaling was also augmented. In addition, IL-1 treatment following administration of the combination of Dex and IL-6 into mice markedly increased the serum level of serum amyloid A. These results indicate that GC and IL-6 augment the expression of cell surface IL-1RI in hepatocytes, as well as IL-1 signaling and IL-1R-associated kinase activation, through up-regulation of IL-1RI mRNA level, which represents a novel regulatory network between IL-1, GC, and IL-6.

Zinc deficiency enhances interleukin-1alpha-induced metallothionein-1 expression in rats

This study investigated whether interleukin-1alpha-induced metallothionein gene expression is affected by zinc deficiency. Weaning male rats were fed a zinc-deficient (ZD) diet (2 mg zinc/kg) or a zinc-supplemented diet [50.8 mg zinc/kg; controls for the diet included pair-fed (PF) and ad libitum consumption groups (AL)] for 4 wk. All rats except those that served as controls for interleukin-1alpha administration, (injected with vehicle and killed at 0 h) were then injected subcutaneously with interleukin-1alpha (2 x 10(7) units/kg body wt) and killed at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 72 h after the injection. Compared with AL and/or PF rats, zinc depletion significantly reduced zinc concentrations in plasma and liver but not in kidney or intestine, and significantly reduced hepatic, renal, and intestinal metallothionein-1 mRNA levels analyzed by competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Interleukin-1alpha injection reduced plasma zinc concentration and enhanced liver zinc concentration, but did not affect zinc levels in kidney or intestine. Metallothionein-1 mRNA was significantly elevated by interleukin-1alpha in liver, kidney and intestine of all groups; the levels in liver and kidney of ZD rats 6 h after the injection were significantly higher than those of AL or PF rats. Liver metallothionein protein levels were enhanced after interleukin-1alpha injection in both AL and ZD rats. Semiquantitative RT-PCR revealed significantly higher hepatic levels of interleukin-1 receptor type-I mRNA in ZD rats than in AL and PF rats but no differences in renal or intestinal tissues among groups before interleukin-1alpha challenge. In conclusion, zinc deficiency induces upregulation of metallothionein-1 gene expression in response to interleukin-1alpha challenge in rats.

The expression and modulation of IFN-alpha and IFN-beta in human keratinocytes

In addition to leukocytes and fibroblasts, the classic sources of human interferons (IFN), many other human cells are now known to be capable of producing IFN. Keratinocytes (KC) are abundant in the skin and provide the first line of defense against viruses and other noxious agents. Human KC are a potent source of cytokines and were implicated as forming IFN-like protein(s). We have investigated whether KC form IFN. We found that culture supernatants from unstimulated human KC did not contain detectable amounts of IFN-alpha or IFN-beta. However, those from KC activated with the potent IFN inducer, polyriboinosinic:polriboycytidylic acid (poly rI:rC), had appreciable antiviral activity, which studies with neutralizing sera showed to be caused by IFN-beta. In ELISA tests, we detected IFN-beta protein in the supernatants but not IFN-alpha protein. Nevertheless, reverse transcription PCR showed that both IFN-alpha and IFN-beta mRNA were upregulated in poly rI:rC-treated KC. The levels of these mRNA were also increased in KC exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation, interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These results show that IFN-beta is among the cytokines secreted from human KC and, together with IFN-alpha, may have a role in host defense mechanisms in the skin.

Endotoxin-induced upregulation of type I interleukin-1 receptor mRNA expression in hepatocytes of mice: role of cytokines

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) signal is transduced through the type I IL-1 receptor (IL-1RI). Although regulation of IL-1R expression has been extensively studied in vitro, little is known about it in vivo. By using RT-PCR analysis, we investigated the regulation of the IL-1RI mRNA expression level in various organs of mice at 2, 6, and 24 h following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration. IL-1RI mRNA expression in response to LPS appeared to be different in various organs. As a marked and sustained increase of IL-1RI mRNA expression in the liver was observed, we investigated the mechanism of the upregulation. IL-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) all increased the mRNA expression in the liver when administrated in vivo. In situ hybridization revealed that upregulation of IL-1R mRNA was observed in parenchymal liver cells (hepatocytes) in response to LPS administration. When primary cultured hepatocytes were treated in vitro, IL-1, IL-6, conditioned medium from LPS-treated mouse macrophages, and serum from LPS-treated mouse upregulated IL-1RI mRNA expression, but LPS, TNF, and prostaglandin E2 failed to do so. Therefore, these results suggest that the upregulation of IL-1RI mRNA in the hepatocytes by LPS administration is mediated by cytokines, especially by IL-1 and IL-6. The results also indicate that the regulation is different in different organs, and microenvironmental factors may be important.