S. Angioni et al., CORTICOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE MODULATES CYTOKINES RELEASE IN CULTURED HUMAN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS, Life sciences, 53(23), 1993, pp. 1735-1742
immune and neuroendocrine systems interact at various levels. In parti
cular, either cytokines activate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal ax
is (HPA) or corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) induces the release
of beta-endorphin from peripheral human mononuclear cells. The aim of
the present study was to investigate whether CRH may affect cytokine p
roduction and activity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PB
MC). Primary cultures of human PBMC and monocytes were used. They were
incubated in presence of different doses of synthetic human CRH. Medi
a were collected and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin-6 (I
L-6) levels were measured by ELISA, while interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)
levels were measured by bioassay. In addition, phytohemoagglutinin-in
duced lymphocyte proliferation was evaluated by testing [H-3]thymidine
incorporation in the presence of various doses of CRH. CRH significan
tly increased IL-6 release from PBMC (p<0.01). The addition of CRH to
PBMC significantly decreased IFN-gamma levels, in a dose dependent man
ner (p<0.01). No significant effect of CRH was observed on lymphocyte
proliferation or IL-1beta production. The present results suggest a ro
le for CRH as' a paracrine mediator for human immune cells, increasing
the evidence of a clear correlation between immune and neuroendocrine
system.