Sympathetic activation of hepatic and splenic IL-1 beta mRNA expression during oscillation stress in the rat

Interleukin (IL)-1 beta mRNA expression in the liver and spleen was examine d after subjection to oscillation stress in the rat. Thirty-minute subjecti on to oscillation stress increased IL-1 beta mRNA expression in the both or gans. Prior treatment of rats with gadolinium chloride, which eliminates ma crophages, prevented the stress-induced IL-1 beta expression. Either adrena lectomy or treatment of guanethidine, a blocker of norepinephrine release i n the sympathetic nerve endings, partially attenuated the stress-induced re sponse, but the combined treatment completely blocked it. Injection of beta -adrenergic antagonist (propranolol) also suppressed the stress-induced res ponse. These results suggest that oscillation stress induces IL-1 beta mRNA expression in the liver and spleen, probably in Kupffer cells and splenic macrophages, and that stress-induced IL-1 beta expression is elicited by ca techolamines released from sympathetic nerve terminals and the adrenal glan d.