INTERLEUKIN-6 DOES NOT ACTIVATE PROTEIN BREAKDOWN IN RAT SKELETAL-MUSCLE

The addition of recombinant human interleukin-6 (rIL-6) to either sole us or extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle preparations did not affe ct the rate of protein breakdown as measured by the rate of tyrosine r eleased to the medium. In addition, the presence of the cytokine did n ot influence either the rate of protein synthesis or that of alpha-(me thyl)aminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB) uptake by the muscle preparations. I t is concluded that IL-6 is not the mediator in activating muscle prot ein turnover during sepsis in the rat.