[Strain- and age-associated changes in cytokine release from endotoxin-treated mouse monocytes]

Levels of cytokines released from endotoxin-mediated monocytes were investigated in mice of DBA/2, BALB/c, C57BL/6, C3H/He, ddY and ICR strains and in ICR mice of various ages (4-52 weeks old). Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) levels from monocytes were low in DBA/2 and BALB/c mice, and high in ddY and ICR strains. In addition, interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were low in DBA/2, and high in ddY and ICR strains. Therefore, monocytes obtained from ddY and ICR strain mice released large amounts of cytokines as compared to those from the DBA/2 strain. The levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6 released from monocytes of ICR mice were constant at 4-18 weeks old, and low at 26 and 52 weeks old. In contrast, the TNF alpha level was low at 18 weeks and high at 26 and 52 weeks. These results indicate that age-associated changes in cytokine release from monocytes correlate well with the cytokine levels in bone marrow.