Changes of the interleukin-6 levels in skin at different sites after thermal injury

Objective: To delineate the regulation of IL-6 production in unburned skin adjacent to a burn in an animal model. Methods: In C57BL/6 mice, at 15, 30, and 60 minutes after a 20% full-thickness burn, skin was removed from various sites. Control samples were obtained from unburned mice. Normal skins were incubated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-l alpha(IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta, and IL-6. Unburned skin specimens were incubated with anti-TNF-alpha and IL-1 alpha antibodies. Cytokine levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The burn increased the IL-6 levels at 30 minutes (p < 0.05) and the IL-alpha levels at 15 and 60 minutes in the unburned skin. TNF-alpha, IL-1 alpha, and IL-1 alpha increased IL-6 production in normal skin (p < 0.05), Anti-IL-alpha antibody decreased IL-6 production in the unburned skin (p < 0.05, Conclusions: IL-1 alpha modulates IL-6 production in unburned skin after injury. IL-6 and IL-1 alpha might contribute to the alterations after a burn.