TY - JOUR
T1 - Cellular localization of IL-18 and IL-18 receptor in pig anterior pituitary gland
AU - Nagai, Yasuhiro
AU - Watanabe, Kouichi
AU - Aso, Hisashi
AU - Ohwada, Shyuichi
AU - Muneta, Yoshihiro
AU - Yamaguchi, Takahiro
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (No. 13460122) from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan.
PY - 2006/2
Y1 - 2006/2
N2 - Pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 18 (IL-18) has been proposed to have a role in modulating immuno-endocrine functions. Our previous study showed that IL-18 and IL-18 receptor (IL-18R) colocalized in somatotrophs of the bovine anterior pituitary gland, and the possibility that IL-18 acts on somatotrophs as an autocrine factor. In the present study, we investigated the localization of IL-18 and IL-18R in the pig anterior pituitary gland. RT-PCR analysis showed the expression of IL-18 and IL-18R mRNAin the pig anterior pituitary gland. Immunohistochemistry of IL-18 and specific hormones revealed the presence of IL-18 in somatotrophs, mammotrophs, thyrotrophs and gonadotrophs. IL-18R was localized in somatotrophs and thyrotrophs. Furthermore, the somatotrophs immunoreactive for IL-18 did not contain IL-18R. Thus, IL-18R and IL-18 were not colocalized in an identical somatotroph. These findings suggest that the localization of IL-18 in pig somatotrophs is different from that in bovine somatotrophs, although IL-18 closely associates with somatotrophs in the anterior pituitary glands in both species.
AB - Pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 18 (IL-18) has been proposed to have a role in modulating immuno-endocrine functions. Our previous study showed that IL-18 and IL-18 receptor (IL-18R) colocalized in somatotrophs of the bovine anterior pituitary gland, and the possibility that IL-18 acts on somatotrophs as an autocrine factor. In the present study, we investigated the localization of IL-18 and IL-18R in the pig anterior pituitary gland. RT-PCR analysis showed the expression of IL-18 and IL-18R mRNAin the pig anterior pituitary gland. Immunohistochemistry of IL-18 and specific hormones revealed the presence of IL-18 in somatotrophs, mammotrophs, thyrotrophs and gonadotrophs. IL-18R was localized in somatotrophs and thyrotrophs. Furthermore, the somatotrophs immunoreactive for IL-18 did not contain IL-18R. Thus, IL-18R and IL-18 were not colocalized in an identical somatotroph. These findings suggest that the localization of IL-18 in pig somatotrophs is different from that in bovine somatotrophs, although IL-18 closely associates with somatotrophs in the anterior pituitary glands in both species.
KW - Immuno-endocrine signalling
KW - Interleukin-18
KW - Interleukin-18R
KW - Paracrine
KW - Pig anterior pituitary gland
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U2 - 10.1016/j.domaniend.2005.07.008
DO - 10.1016/j.domaniend.2005.07.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 16137855
AN - SCOPUS:30444450872
SN - 0739-7240
VL - 30
SP - 144
EP - 154
JO - Domestic Animal Endocrinology
JF - Domestic Animal Endocrinology
IS - 2
ER -