Interleukin-1 beta simultaneously affects the stress and reproductive axes by modulating norepinephrine levels in different brain areas
Open accessAbstract
AIMS Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a cytokine that is known to activate the stress axis and suppress the reproductive axis. Different brain areas are involved in the regulation of these two axes. However, they are both under the stimulatory control of the catecholamine, norepinephrine (NE). Here, we hypothesized that IL-1β differentially affects these two axes by modulating NE levels in specific brain regions. METHODS Female Sprague-Dawley rats in proestrus were injected intraperitoneally with either PBS-1.0% BSA (control) or 5 µg of IL-1β at 1 pm. Groups of rats were sacrificed at 1, 3, and 5 pm and their brains were collected. Brain areas associated with reproduction as well as areas associated with stress axis activity were isolated and analyzed for NE concentrations using HPLC-EC. Trunk blood was analyzed for IL-1β, corticosterone and luteinizing hormone levels. KEY FINDINGS As a general trend, treatment with IL-1β significantly decreased NE levels (p<0.05) in the areas controlling reproductive functions when compared to the control group. In contrast, NE levels increased significantly (p<0.05) in the stress associated areas. LH levels were markedly decreased with IL-1β treatment while corticosterone levels increased dramatically. SIGNIFICANCE The ability of IL-1β to produce differential effects on the stress and reproductive axis could be explained by modulation of NE levels in specific brain areas that are associated with these functions. This differential regulation of NE may be an adaptive phenomenon in response to a systemic immune challenge.
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IL-1 beta activates the HPA axis and suppresses the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis.
“IL-1 beta exhibited the ability to activate the HPA axis and suppress the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis [111,112,113].”
From The Role of Cortisol in Chronic Stress, Neurodegenerative Diseases, and Psychological Disorders (2023) · cites this paper as [113]
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- Authors
- Sirivelu, M. P., MohanKumar, P. S., & MohanKumar, S. M. J.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- MohanKumar, Sheba M.J.
- Venue
- Life Sciences
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-10
- Volume
- 91
- Issue
- 17-18
- Pages
- 878-884
- ISSN
- 0024-3205 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3517711
- OpenAlex
- W2059332848
- Semantic Scholar
- 3a9b1e6e3a05eaeaa38af5faee65ecd1e3c48b6d
- Cited by
- 14
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 0.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Life Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Charles Cowham Fund
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Keywords
- IL-1β, norepinephrine, stress axis, reproductive axis, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, luteinizing hormone, corticosterone, catecholamines, brain regions, female reproduction
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brain, Corticosterone, Female, Luteinizing Hormone, Norepinephrine, Reproduction, Stress, Physiological, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Rats, Interleukin-1beta
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