Interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 stimulate acute-phase protein production in primary mouse hepatocytes

Primary mouse hepatocytes were treated with the acute-phase mediators interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and glucocorticoids, singularly and in combination, in order to delineate the spectrum of proteins induced by the stimulatory factors. As found for rat and human liver cells, mouse hepatocytes responded to the cytokines by increasing production of acute-phase proteins, which in mice include haptoglobin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, complement C-3, serum amyloid A, and hemopexin. Serum amyloid A was unusual in that only the acidic peptide form responded to treatment with IL-1 and IL-6; the more basic form remained unchanged. In addition, an unidentified secretory protein was induced only by mixtures containing IL-6. The present study shows that a combination of IL-1, IL-6, and glucocorticoids is required for regulation of acute-phase plasma protein production in mouse liver cells.