beta-Adrenergic stimulation of interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-6 expression in mouse brown adipocytes

Mouse brown adipocytes in primary culture were shown to contain high levels of mRNA for interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) which could be further stimulated up to 9-fold by norepinephrine (NE). Even higher stimulation by NE, up to 40-fold, was found in case of interleukin-6 (IL-6), Time-course of activation of both genes was biphasic, but the response of IL-6 gene was slower than of IL-1 alpha gene, IL-1 alpha mRNA level reached the maximum after I h and the second, lower increase, occurred after 8 h, IL-6 mRNA level showed first maximum after 2 h, but the highest level was found after 8 h, Similarly to NE, the expression of IL-1 alpha and IL-6 genes was stimulated by selective beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol, beta(3)-selective agonist CGP-12117, forskoline and db-cAMP. The activation of both genes by CGP-12177 was dose-dependent with the optimum at 100 nM concentration, Stimulation of alpha-adrenergic receptors by cirazoline and oxymetazoline was without any effect, When the expression of IL-6 was studied at the protein level, the stimulation of IL-6 gene via beta(3)-receptors resulted in secretion of IL-6 up to the concentration 10 ng/ml culture media in 24 h, The results indicate a new type of regulation of expression of IL-1 alpha and IL-6 genes in brown adipocytes by catecholamines acting via beta(3)-adrenergic receptors, The resulting increase in IL-6 production by brown adipocytes could significantly contribute to systemic levels of IL-6. (C) 1997 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.