Morphological evidence for existence of IL-6 receptor alpha in the glomus cells of rat carotid body

摘要

The carotid body (CB) senses changes in arterial blood PO, and modulates respiratory movement. It is generally accepted that the dopaminergic type I cells in the CB are chemoreceptors. However, it has not been clarified whether the carotid body has the ability to perceive the stimulation of proinflammatory cytokines. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) as a multifunctional cytokine plays a pivotal role in host defense mechanism. In the present study, we observed the expression of IL-6R alpha mRNA and protein in the carotid body using immunohistochemistry, Western blots, and in situ hybridization. The results confirmed the presence of IL-6R alpha proteins and mRNAs in the glomus cells of rat carotid body. These results suggest that the function of the carotid body may be influenced by the proinflammatrory cytokines through their receptors. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.