G. Monastra et Ef. Secchi, BETA-ADRENERGIC RECEPTORS MEDIATE IN-VIVO THE ADRENALINE INHIBITION OF LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE-INDUCED TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR RELEASE, Immunology letters, 38(2), 1993, pp. 127-130
Adrenaline has been shown to inhibit the release of tumor necrosis fac
tor (TNF) elicited by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) when tested in vitro on
cultured human blood cells and rat macrophages. In this report we hav
e examined the effect of the in vivo administration of adrenaline on T
NF serum levels induced by LPS. In agreement with in vitro data, adren
aline (0.1 mg/kg, s.c.) was found to inhibit in the mouse the LPS-indu
ced TNF release. The beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol administer
ed 1 h before adrenaline completely blocked the adrenaline activity, w
hereas the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine was ineffective. T
hese data demonstrate that: (i) adrenaline is an effective antagonist
of LPS-induced TNF release in vivo, and (ii) its effect is mediated by
adrenergic receptors.