Caspase-1 (Casp-1) mediates the processing of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and IL-18 to their mature forms. Casp-1-deficient mice succumb more rapidly to Salmonella challenge than do wild-type animals. Both Casp-1 substrates, IL-18 and IL-1beta, are relevant for control of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. We used IL-18-/- and IL-1beta-/- mice in addition to...

Serum levels of IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha were measured in 48 healthy, termed neonates on the 1st (N1), 5th (N5) and 40th (N40) day after birth, compared with those in maternal serum (MS), umbilical cord (UC) and adult controls. Cytokine values in N1 and N5 were significantly elevated, than those in UC and in controls (P<0.0001). IL-1beta and IL-6 declined significantly from N1 to N40 (P<0.0...

Although the fibroproliferative response to lung injury occurs with a high frequency in patients with clinical acute lung injury, the mechanisms that initiate this response are largely unknown. This study was undertaken first to identify fibroblast mitogenic factors in pulmonary edema fluid, and second to examine the human lung fibroblast's gene expression profile in response to pulmonary edema...

OBJECTIVE Expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is a critical determinant for vascular homeostasis. We examined the effects of Beraprost sodium (BPS), a stable analogue of prostacyclin, on the eNOS gene expression in the presence of inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1beta in cultured endothelial cells. METHOD AND RESULTS Exposure of human and bovine endothelial cells to ...

To investigate whether MCP-1, CINC, RANTES, osteopontin and ICAM-1 mRNA could be induced in cultured rat mesangial cells by interleukin-1beta(IL-1beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and whether MCP-1 and CINC gene expression could be modulated by dexamethasone, Northern blot assays were performed. IL-1beta induced MCP-1, CINC, RANTES and ICAM-1 gene expr...

Transcription of C-reactive protein (CRP) in Hep 3B cells is induced by IL-6, acting through C/EBP isoforms and STAT3. IL-1beta, which alone has no effect, greatly enhances IL-6-induced transcription by unknown mechanisms. Because IL-1beta activates the NF-kappaB system, we explored the effects of overexpressed Rel family members on CRP expression. Unexpectedly, transactivation assays in transi...

Tibia fracture followed by limb immobilization in rats evokes nociceptive and vascular changes resembling complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS I). Previously we observed that substance P (SP) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) signaling contribute to chronic regional nociceptive sensitization in this model. It is known that inflammasome multi-protein complexes containing caspase-1 and NALP...

Elevated levels of hyaluronan are associated with numerous inflammatory diseases including inflammatory bowel disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a cause and effect relationship might exist among proinflammatory cytokines, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, or transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and hyaluronan expression in human JDMC and, if so, to identify possible...

Proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), promote cancer cell adhesion and liver metastases by up-regulating the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) on hepatic sinusoidal endothelium (HSE). In this study, hepatic metastasis after intrasplenically injected mouse B16 melanoma (B16M) cells was reduced 84-95% in mice with null mu...

The transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1beta (PGC-1beta) is believed to control mitochondrial oxidative energy metabolism by activating specific target transcription factors including estrogen-related receptors and nuclear respiratory factor 1, yet its physiological role is not yet clearly understood. To define its function in vivo, we gener...