R. Cooney et al., INTERLEUKIN-1 RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST PREVENTS SEPSIS-INDUCED INHIBITION OF PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS, American journal of physiology: endocrinology and metabolism, 30(5), 1994, pp. 636-641
To understand the role of interleukin-1 (IL-1) as a mediator of the se
psis-induced skeletal muscle catabolism, we investigated the effects o
f a specific IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) on skeletal muscle prot
ein metabolism in a rodent model of chronic abdominal sepsis. A consta
nt infusion of IL-1ra (2 mg.kg(-1).h(-1)) or saline was begun immediat
ely after the induction of sepsis and continued for 5 days. The effect
of IL-1ra on protein metabolism was examined in individual muscles (g
astrocnemius, soleus, heart) containing different fiber types. Infusio
n of IL-1ra in control animals did not alter protein metabolism in any
of the muscles examined. Muscle weight, protein content, and the rate
of protein synthesis in gastrocnemius were reduced by sepsis, whereas
none of these parameters were affected in soleus or heart. Infusion o
f IL-1ra prevented the sepsis-induced loss of muscle protein and inhib
ition of protein synthesis in gastrocnemius but was without effect in
soleus or heart. IL-1ra infusion restored translational efficiency in
the gastrocnemius of septic rats and was without effect on the RNA con
tent. These results provide evidence for a role of IL-1 as a mediator
of the sepsis-induced abnormalities in skeletal muscle protein metabol
ism.