Corticotropin (ACTH) induction of tumor necrosis factor alpha by monocytes

The finding that monocytes possess specific ACTH receptors led us to determine the effect of ACTH on monokine production. Here, we report that ACTH 1-39 will induce TNF-alpha from the adherent fraction of peripheral blood leukocytes. In addition, we also found that ACTH 1-39 will potentiate IFN-gamma's induction of TNF-alpha from these cells. Since previous reports showed that ACTH inhibits IFN-gamma's activation of macrophages to a cytocidal state, our data raise questions concerning the relative role of TNF-alpha in macrophage mediated cytolysis.