Interleukin-6 and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Activation in a Tumor Bearing Mouse

• Published in: International journal of neuroscience Vol. 118; no. 3; pp. 355 - 364
• Main Authors: Lee, Jong-Ho, Yoo, Sang Bae, Kim, Nam Youl, Cha, Mi Joo, Jahng, Jeong Won
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 01.03.2008; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - immunology; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - metabolism; Animals; Anorexia - immunology; Anorexia - metabolism; corticosterone; Corticosterone - blood; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - immunology; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - metabolism; cytokine; gene expression; human squamous cell carcinoma; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - immunology; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - metabolism; hypothalamus; Interleukin-6 - blood; Interleukin-6 - immunology; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating - immunology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Pituitary-Adrenal System - immunology; Pituitary-Adrenal System - metabolism; plasma; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - immunology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism
• ISSN: 0020-7454; 1563-5279; 1543-5245
• DOI: 10.1080/00207450701592915

Tumor derived cytokines have been suggested to activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; that is, increase the hypothalamic releases of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and adrenocorticotrophic hormone. The authors previously reported that tumor mice bearing a human oral squamous cell carcinoma exhibit an anorectic phenotype with increased expression of CRH mRNA in their hypothalamic paraventricular nuclei. This study examined the plasma levels of tumor-derived cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), in order to determine potential mediator(s) implicated in CRH expression in this tumor mouse model. Plasma corticosterone levels were assayed as well to confirm the HPA activation. In the results, plasma levels of IL-6, but not TNF-α, were increased significantly in the tumor mice compared with age-matching non-tumor controls. Plasma corticosterone levels were also increased in the tumor mice. These results together with the previous findings suggest IL-6 as a potential mediator in the control of hypothalamic CRH expression in the authors' tumor mouse model.