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C Libert

Publications and source records attributed to C Libert.

51 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Interleukin-6 enhances the expression of tumor necrosis factor receptors on hepatoma cells and hepatocytes.

We have studied the effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the binding of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) to various cell lines. A significant increase (up to 250%) in binding was observed on rat hepatocytes and on the human hepatoma cell line HepG2, while no changes in the number of cells or cell morphology could be observed. Scatchard plot analysis showed that IL-6 enhanced the number of TNF receptors without affecting the receptor affinity. The effect reached plateau levels after approximately 6 h and at IL-6 concentrations of 10 ng/ml. It could be completely eliminated by cotreatment of cells with anti-IL-6 antibodies, but not by treatment with anti-interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), suggesting that IFN-gamma, which can enhance TNF receptor expression on a variety of cells, was not a mediator in this IL-6 effect. Treatment with inhibitors of protein or RNA synthesis completely abolished the IL-6-induced increase, suggesting that IL-6 caused an enhanced transcription of TNF receptor mRNA. IL-1 had no effect on TNF binding to HepG2. However, when cells were cotreated with IL-1 and IL-6, IL-1 could completely abrogate the IL-6 effect.

Animals↗

The influence of modulating substances on tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6 levels after injection of murine tumor necrosis factor or lipopolysaccharide in mice.

In this study, we investigated the influence of D-galactosamine (GalN), indomethacin, and dexamethasone on the pharmacokinetics of injected or induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) after a bolus injection of murine TNF (mTNF) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). It is well known that GalN treatment renders mice much more vulnerable to TNF or LPS lethality. Nevertheless, GalN had no influence on TNF clearance or IL-6 induction after mTNF injection; however, the induced TNF and IL-6 levels were considerably augmented by the GalN cotreatment when a high dose of LPS was injected (GalN was given as a single injection together with TNF or LPS). Indomethacin and dexamethasone, either of which shows a clear protection against TNF/LPS lethality in normal mice, did not change the clearance of injected mTNF, but both reduced the TNF-induced IL-6 levels. Indomethacin did not affect the level and clearance of LPS-induced TNF, whereas the induced IL-6 levels were significantly lower than in the control mice. The circulating TNF and IL-6 concentrations after LPS injection in mice pretreated with dexamethasone were very considerably reduced. Furthermore, neither agent had an influence on the number of TNF binding sites on hepatocytes. We conclude that the strongly enhanced sensitivity of GalN-treated mice towards mTNF-induced or LPS-induced lethality was not reflected in circulating TNF or IL-6 levels, and that dexamethasone and indomethacin both reduce circulating IL-6 concentrations in mice treated with TNF and LPS.

Animals↗

Development of a simple, sensitive and specific bioassay for interleukin-1 based on the proliferation of RPMI 1788 cells. Comparison with other bioassays for IL-1.

The IL-1-dependent proliferation of RPMI 1788, a human EBV-transformed cell line, was used to develop a biological assay system for IL-1. Preparations of rhIL-1 alpha and rhIL-1 beta, as well as rmIL-1 beta exhibited a specific biological activity (50% of the maximal response) between 5.8 x 10(8) and 8.6 x 10(8) U/mg. Remarkably, a 3-5-fold reduced specific biological activity was noticed for rm-IL-1 alpha, viz. 1.7 x 10(8) U/mg. The IL-1-dependent proliferation of RPMI 1788 cells was compared with other IL-1 test systems, such as the IL-1-mediated induction of IL-2 in EL4-NOB-1, LBRM-33-1A5 and thymocytes, and the IL-1-driven induction of cytotoxic activity by PC60 cells, the so-called CIA assay. The cytokine-dependent growth of RPMI 1788 cells is highly specific for IL-1, and no other cytokine tested induced a proliferative response. The presence of high concentrations of rmTNF, rhTNF or rhIL-6 did not interfere with the quantification of IL-1. Additionally, we evaluated the detection of IL-1 in the presence of mitogens, phorbol ester or calcium ionophore, as well as the determination of IL-1 in serum and PF samples of human and murine origin.

Animals↗

Induction of interleukin 6 by human and murine recombinant interleukin 1 in mice.

Interleukin (IL) 6 is a pleistropic cytokine with activities, among others, on immune cells, hematopoietic precursor cells and hepatocytes. We have investigated the kinetics and amplitude of its in vivo induction in mice after injection of four different IL 1 species as well as murine (m) and human (h) tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) using a sensitive bioassay on 7TD1 cells to measure the IL 6 concentrations. Recombinant mIL 1 beta, administered as a single i.v. injection in mice, induced the appearance of IL 6 in the plasma with peak levels observed after 2 h. A dose-response correlation was found between serum IL 6 levels and injected IL 1 alpha concentrations at 3 and 8 h after the injection. We then compared the ability of h/mIL 1 alpha, h/mIL 1 beta, h/mTNF and LPS to induce IL 6 in mice. We found: (a) LPS is the most potent inducer of IL 6; (b) 3 h after injection, the four IL 1 preparations had induced IL 6 levels comparable with the IL 6 levels observed after TNF injection; (c) high doses of mIL 1, alpha or beta, but not hIL 1, resulted in a high IL 6 level persisting for over 8 h. We conclude that IL 1 is a potent inducer of IL 6 in vivo and that no major differences are observed between the four IL 1 preparations, as evaluated at 3 h after the injection. However, mIL 1 alpha and mIL 1 beta, in contrast to hIL 1 alpha and hIL 1 beta, induced a sustained IL 6 level over a longer time period. This pattern of prolonged IL 6 induction is even much more pronounced after mTNF injection, but not after hTNF injection.

Animals↗

Acamprosate appears to decrease alcohol intake in weaned alcoholics.

Five hundred and sixty-nine alcoholics were included in a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized multicenter study of the effects of Acamprosate (calcium acetylhomotaurinate (CA), 1.3 g/day) on indicators of alcoholic relapse after withdrawal. One hundred and eighty-one patients in the CA group versus 175 in the placebo group completed the three-month study. The major efficacy criterion was plasma gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), as an indicator of recent alcohol ingestion. This analysis was completed by criteria concordance analysis on a number of indicators of alcohol intake. Patients in both groups were similar initially. After 3 months of treatment, the patients in the CA group had significantly lower GGT (1.4 +/- 1.56 versus 2.0 +/- 3.19 times normal, P = 0.016). All significant differences (P less than 0.05) or trends (0.10 greater than P greater than 0.05) were in favor of a superior effect of CA over placebo. The major side-effect of CA was diarrhea (present in 13% of CA patients versus 7% of placebo, P = 0.04). CA proved superior to placebo on the evolution of markers of alcohol ingestion at three months, in this large-scale multicenter study. It could be a new modality in the drug therapy of alcoholism, not involving an antabuse effect, an antidepressant action, or conditioning.

Acamprosate↗

Species specificity and involvement of other cytokines in endotoxic shock action of recombinant tumour necrosis factor in mice.

We compared the effects of human rTNF and murine rTNF in murine models of toxicity, esp. the induction of endotoxic shock. As was the case for the antitumour activity, we found a marked difference in activity between these two TNFs. Only murine rTNF was able to cause lethality, while human rTNF needed the synergistic action of sensitizing agents to become lethal. Further experiments, such as the study of IL-6 induction by TNF in mice, allowed us to distinguish two types of TNF effects: those that can equally well be exerted by human rTNF and by murine rTNF (type I effects) and those that can only be exerted by murine rTNF (type II effects). Both types of effects, the "toxic" (a type I effect) and the sensitizing (a type II effect) are needed to produce a lethal outcome. Other cytokines such as IL-1 and IFN-gamma, however, can also exert such a sensitizing effect and consequently lead to a fatal outcome when co-administered with human rTNF.

Animals↗

A role for interleukin 1 in the in vivo actions of tumor necrosis factor.

We have observed a marked species specificity in the in vivo antitumor, shock-inducing and Interleukin-6 (IL-6)-inducing activities of human recombinant TNF (hrTNF) versus murine rTNF (mrTNF) in mouse models. We also have observed that this species specificity can be abolished when synergistic factors are co-administered. We now present data showing that the profiles of induced IL-6 and TNF after lethal and non-lethal doses of endotoxin are different. These results are discussed in the context of a model of dual signalling for the induction of the major post-endotoxin phenomena that takes into consideration the involvement of Interleukin-1 (IL-1) in the in vivo actions of TNF.

Animals↗

Comparison of propranolol, sotalol, and betaxolol in the treatment of neuroleptic-induced akathisia.

In earlier open studies, beta-blockers were found to be effective in the treatment of neuroleptic-induced akathisia. In the present study, 16 patients with severe neuroleptic-induced akathisia successively received low doses of three beta-blockers--propranolol, sotalol, and betaxolol. There was rapid and complete improvement in seven of 16 patients (and partial improvement in three patients) treated with betaxolol. The efficacy of propranolol and betaxolol and failure of sotalol in treating neuroleptic-induced akathisia suggest a central mechanism of action.

Adult↗

Platelet-activating factor is a mediator in tumor necrosis factor/galactosamine-induced lethality.

We here report that administration to mice of WEB2170, a potent platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonist, prevents both PAF-induced and murine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced lethality in galactosamine (GalN)-sensitized mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate that pretreatment with alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) or interleukin-1 (IL-1) protects against TNF-induced, but not against PAF-induced lethality. We conclude that PAF is a mediator in TNF/GalN-induced lethal shock, but that the protection conferred by AGP or IL-1 pretreatment is not at the level of scavenging PAF.

Animals↗

Inhibition of and sensitization to the lethal effects of tumor necrosis factor.

The extension of the positive results obtained with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the locoregional treatment of cancer to systemic treatments requires the selective inhibition of its shock-inducing properties. In this paper, recent data regarding the mechanisms by which infections and tumors render mice extremely sensitive to the lethal effects of TNF as well as regarding the inhibition of the dose-limiting toxicities, hypotension and hepatotoxicity, are summarized. An interleukin-12 (IL-12) driven induction of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), probably in synergism with endogenous TNF, was found to mediate infection-induced sensitization. The sensitization induced by tumors develops independent of the IL-12/IFN-gamma axis but ultimately leads to a common step, which can be inhibited by alpha-CD11a and is specific for sensitization. Hypotension can be inhibited by methylene blue (MB), an inhibitor of the nitric oxide (NO)-induced activation of the cytosolic guanylate cyclase, without the indispensable protective properties of NO being affected. Finally, two acute phase proteins, alpha 1-acid-glycoprotein (AGP) and alpha 1-antitrypsin (AT), were able to protect against the TNF-induced liver failure. None of these three inhibitors seems to affect the antitumor effects of TNF.

Animals↗