Cytokine-induced interleukin-1 receptor antagonist release in mononuclear phagocytes

IL-1ra has recently been shown to suppress both cytokine- and endotoxin-induced IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha release from monocytes. Given that mononuclear phagocytes can produce both the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and TNF-alpha as well as the suppressive cytokine IL-1ra, we proposed that IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and TNF-alpha may induce IL-1ra from mononuclear phagocytes. To test this hypothesis, human mononuclear cells were stimulated for 18 h with IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, or TNF-alpha, and the supernatants assayed for IL-1ra by ELISA. Each cytokine induced IL-1ra secretion in a dose-response manner. However, IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta were better inducers of IL-1ra than was TNF-alpha. IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta at a dose of 10 ng/ml induced 3 to 6 ng/ml of IL-1ra, while TNF-alpha at a dose of 100 ng/ml stimulated only 1.4 ng/ml of IL-1ra. This induction was not due to endotoxin, as all cytokines contained less than 10 pg/ml of contaminating LPS. Furthermore, for IL-1 beta-induced IL-1ra, immunoprecipitation of IL-1 beta with an anti-IL-1 beta antibody, but not a preimmune antibody, blocked the induction of IL-1ra. In contrast to mononuclear phagocytes, IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and TNF-alpha did not induce further IL-1ra production in alveolar macrophages. This lack of macrophage responsiveness may relate to the constitutive production of IL-1ra by these mature mononuclear phagocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)