Open AccessAntidiabetic effects of interleukin 1.
Author(s) -
Adriana del Rey,
H. O. Besedovsky
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.86.15.5943
Subject(s) - cytokine , endocrinology , medicine , glucose homeostasis , diabetes mellitus , insulin , interleukin , streptozotocin , homeostasis , hormone , immunology , insulin resistance
Interleukin 1 (IL-1), a cytokine released mainly by activated macrophages-monocytes, affects glucose homeostasis and may mediate some of the metabolic derangements observed during certain inflammatory and infectious processes. In this report, it is shown that IL-1 acts as a hypoglycemic agent not only in normal animals but also in mice at early stages of alloxan-induced diabetes and in genetically diabetic, insulin-resistant C57BL/Ks db/db mice and C57BL/6J ob/ob mice. In these animal models, a single injection of a low dose of human recombinant IL-1 normalized glucose blood levels for several hours. This effect was not mediated by possible insulin secretagogue actions of the cytokine. Furthermore, IL-1 markedly reduced the levels of triglycerides in blood of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice at later stages of the disease. Although the final mechanism of action is at present unknown, the results showed that IL-1 is a hormone with powerful antidiabetic properties. Defective production of this cytokine associated with diabetes could contribute to aggravate the course of the disease during infectious and inflammatory processes.