Cytokine formation within rat glomeruli during experimental endotoxemia

Increasing evidence supports a role of cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and IL-6 in the development of endotoxin-induced acute renal failure. Several activities of these cytokines require a local rather than a systemic production and function. Thus, this study investigates the chronology of cytokine expression in glomeruli isolated from normal rats or rats given iv lipopolysaccharide injections. Detectable levels of TNF alpha could be found in glomeruli isolated from normal rats as assessed by L-929 fibroblast lytic assay and ELISA. Glomeruli isolated from rats given lipopolysaccharide transiently released increased amounts of TNF alpha in relation to the dose of lipopolysaccharide (10 to 500 micrograms/kg body wt) and the lag period between lipopolysaccharide injection and glomerular isolation (20 to 120 min). TNF alpha was released in similar amounts by glomeruli from normal rats that were exposed in vitro to lipopolysaccharide challenge (0.01 to 10 micrograms/mL), indicating that lipopolysaccharide had direct effects on the release of TNF alpha from glomerular cells. These cells consisted mainly of resident cells because reduction of glomerular infiltration by bone marrow-derived cells after the irradiation of normal rats did not affect TNF alpha release. Glomerular IL-1 and IL-6 production was evaluated by specific bioassays under identical conditions. No IL-1 activity could be detected in the medium or within the glomerular cells at any time within 120 min after lipopolysaccharide injection. By contrast, glomerular IL-6 production was induced after lipopolysaccharide challenge both in vivo and in vitro.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)