Autocrine actions of macrophage-derived catecholamines on interleukin-1β

Previous studies indicate that norepinephrine and epinephrine modulate production of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) by activated macrophages, but it is not known if macrophage-derived catecholamines affect IL-1β. In this study, recruited peritoneal macrophages from CBA/J female mice were activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and treated with vehicle or adrenergic receptor antagonists for 24 h. Extracellular and intracellular levels of IL-1β were measured with ELISA. Treatment with the β-adrenergic receptor antagonists propranolol or ICI 118,551 increased LPS-induced production of IL-1β, whereas treatment with the α-adrenergic antagonists phentolamine or yohimbine decreased IL-1β. These findings demonstrate that adrenergic receptor antagonists unmask autocrine actions of macrophage-derived catecholamines on IL-1β that may influence the inflammatory response.