REGULATION OF NERVE GROWTH-FACTOR MESSENGER-RNA BY INTERLEUKIN-1 IN RAT HIPPOCAMPAL ASTROCYTES IS MEDIATED BY NF-KAPPA-B

Cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) are produced in the brain during development and during inflammatory processes that result from lesions or disease. One function of IL-1 in the brain appears to be th e stimulation of astrocytes to proliferate and produce a variety of cy tokines and trophic factors, including nerve growth factor. The mechan isms by which IL-1 exerts its actions on astrocytes remain poorly defi ned. We present evidence that this cytokine elicits activation of the NF kappa B transcription factor and that this transcription factor med iates effects of Il-1 on nerve growth factor mRNA expression. Elucidat ion of the processes by which cytokines activate astrocytes and influe nce trophic factor expression may provide insight into mechanisms gove rning inflammatory processes within the central nervous system.