Autocrine actions of macrophage-derived catecholamines on interleukin-1 sub( beta )

Previous studies indicate that norepinephrine and epinephrine modulate production of interleukin-1 sub( beta ) (IL-1 sub( beta )) by activated macrophages, but it is not known if macrophage-derived catecholamines affect IL-1 sub( beta ). In this study, recruited peritoneal macrophages from CBA/J female mice were activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and treated with vehicle or adrenergic receptor antagonists for 24 h. Extracellular and intracellular levels of IL-1 sub( beta ) were measured with ELISA. Treatment with the beta -adrenergic receptor antagonists propranolol or ICI 118,551 increased LPS-induced production of IL-1 sub( beta ), whereas treatment with the alpha -adrenergic antagonists phentolamine or yohimbine decreased IL-1 sub( beta ). These findings demonstrate that adrenergic receptor antagonists unmask autocrine actions of macrophage-derived catecholamines on IL-1 sub( beta ) that may influence the inflammatory response.