PROLACTIN AND INSULIN REGULATE THE RELEASE OF IL-1-ALPHA AND IFN-GAMMA FROM MURINE SPLENOCYTES ACTIVATED WITH PORINS OR LPS OF SALMONELLA-TYPHIMURIUM

Murine splenocytes treated with prolactin (PRL) or insulin were stimul ated in vitro with porins or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Salmonella ty phimurium. It was seen that PRL inhibits the release of IFN-gamma from splenocytes treated with porins by about 20% while having no effect o n the release of IL-1-alpha. Splenocytes stimulated with LPS, in the p resence of PRL, had a reduced release of IFN-gamma (35%) and IL-1-alph a (70%). The porin-stimulated splenocytes exhibited a remarkable incre ase in IL-1-alpha release (100%) and a diminished release of IFN-gamma (about 50%) in the presence of insulin. The splenocytes stimulated wi th LPS had a reduced release of IL-1-alpha (75%) and IFN-gamma (about 50%) when insulin was added. The data suggest that the classical endoc rine system participates in a bioregulatory feedback loop that may pre vent unwanted toxicity from cytokine excess. However, some bacterial p roducts sometimes enormously unbalance this regulatory network.