Stress and Immune Function: Regulation of Adrenergic Receptors in Human BLymphocytes

摘要

During the previous year we have investigated the effects of interleukin-1 (IL-1)and interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the density and function of beta to 2 adrenergic receptor (AR) protein and steady state mRNA levels in human lymphoblastoid cell lines. We established a DNA-excess solution hybridization assay using M13-beta-2AR (III) template DNA. This assay helped us detect small changes in the message for beta-2AR. We treated Epstein-Barr (EB) virus transformed human B lymphoblastoid cells and an antibody-secreting lymphoblastoid cell line (IM9) with IL-1 and IL-6. Treatment of the cells with the cytokines caused a marked decrease in the density of beta-2AR but failed to change the affinity of the receptors for the ligand. In contrast, treatment of B cells with both cytokines resulted in increase in the beta-2AR message in both cell lines. To investigate the discrepancy between the effect of lymphokines on receptor protein and its message, we conducted a transcription experiment by using nuclear run-off assays in which we demonstrated that lymphokines increase the stability of the mRNA for beta-2AR. These results demonstrate that lymphokines may alter the expression of stress receptors in human lymphocytes. We conclude that stress receptors interact at the molecular level with elements of the immune system.