[Effect of interleukins on proliferation of cultured rat anterior pituitary cells]

The present study investigated whether IL-1 and IL-6 involved in the control of proliferation in cultured anterior pituitary (AP) cells. Primary culture of AP cell were obtained from either male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. The effects of IL-1 and IL-6 assessed by [3H]-thymidine incorporation rate. It was found that: (1) IL-1(1-100 ng/ml) stimulated 3H-TdR incorporation into AP cells of male and female rats. (2) The lower concentration of IL-6 (0.1 ng/ml) inhibited 3H-TdR incorporation rate, but higher concentration of IL-6 (1-10 ng/ml) stimulated 3H-TdR incorporation into AP cells of male rats. (3) IL-6 (0.1-10 ng/ml) stimulated 3H-TdR incorporation into AP cells of female rats. These results indicated that IL-1 and IL-6 can modulate the endocrine activity as well as the proliferation of AP cells.