Interleukin 1 effect on adrenal gland function in mice

The effect of interleukin 1, the product of macrophage secretion, on mouse (CBA x C57Bl)F1 adrenal gland function has been studied in this paper. The maximal response of adrenal glands to intravenous interleukin 1 injection was observed after 2 h. The stimulation of adrenal gland hormonal function was dose-dependent as shown by i.v. injection of different dilutions of macrophage culture supernatants containing interleukin 1. The effect of interleukin 1 on functional adrenal gland activity was shown to be mediated by prostaglandin synthesis in an experiment in which prostaglandin synthesis was inhibited by indomethacin (0.25 mg/mouse). The hormonal adrenal gland response to interleukin 1 injection may well be part of a mechanism of negative feedback between interleukin 1 production and glucocorticoid level in blood plasma.