Adrenaline suppression of the macrophage nitric oxide response to lipopolysaccharide is associated with differential regulation of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10.

Adrenaline is a catecholamine hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to acute stress. Previous studies have shown that adrenaline suppresses the nitric oxide (NO) response of murine macrophages (M phi s) stimulated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We have now extended these studies to examine the effects of adrenaline on the production of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-10 (IL-10). Our results showed that NO, TNF-alpha and IL-10 were concurrently produced following in vitro LPS (10 micrograms/ml) stimulation of murine peritoneal M phi s. Adrenaline suppressed both NO and TNF-alpha with concomitant up-regulation of the IL-10 response above that seen with LPS alone. In this in vitro model of LPS stimulation we demonstrated that TNF-alpha was required for NO production, as the TNF-alpha neutralizing monoclonal antibody, TN3.19.12, abolished the response; in contrast, IL-10 suppressed NO. In order to determine any functional consequence of adrenaline-mediated IL-10 augmentation on NO production, M phi s were stimulated with LPS and specific neutralizing anti-IL-10 antibodies were added to the cultures. The LPS NO response was suppressed to 43% of the control value by adrenaline (10(-8) M) and an irrelevant control antibody had no effect on the adrenaline-mediated inhibition of NO, but anti-IL-10 treatment restored the NO response to levels similar to those observed with LPS alone. Furthermore, we demonstrated that exogenous TNF-alpha, at a dose range of 1.9-50 ng per ml, also restored the nitrite response to LPS in the presence of adrenaline. Together, the observations that neutralization of IL-10 and addition of TNF-alpha abrogate adrenaline's inhibition of NO, suggest that this hormone suppresses NO partly through up-regulation of IL-10 which, in turn, may suppress TNF-alpha that is required for NO production. Finally, we also observed that the M phi-activating cytokine, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), attenuated the inhibitory effect of adrenaline on the LPS NO response.

Adrenaline inhibits macrophage nitric oxide production through beta1 and beta2 adrenergic receptors.

This study was conducted to investigate the role of the acute stress hormone adrenaline on macrophage nitric oxide (NO) production. Murine peritoneal macrophages were stimulated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the absence or presence of adrenaline. Adrenaline inhibited the LPS-induced nitrite response in a dose-dependent manner. The suppressive effect of adrenaline on NO production was mediated via beta1 and beta2 adrenergic receptors since isoprenaline (a non-selective beta1 and beta2 agonist), dobutamine and salbutamol (selective beta1 and beta2 agonists, respectively) had similar effects on the NO response. In addition, the inhibitory effect of adrenaline on NO was abrogated by both propranolol (a non-specific beta blocker) and atenolol (a specific beta1 inhibitor). In contrast to beta receptor activation, the alpha adrenergic agonist phenylephrine had no effect on the LPS NO response, and furthermore, phentolamine (an alpha receptor antagonist) did not ameliorate adrenaline's inhibitory action.