Interleukin-1 beta and other cytokines stimulate adrenocorticotropin release from cultured pituitary cells of patients with Cushing's disease.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a cytokine that is secreted by macrophages and monocytes which stimulates rodent hypothalamic CRH release and possibly pituitary ACTH secretion. We studied the effect of IL-1 beta and other cytokines (gamma-interferon, thymosin fraction-5, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) on ACTH release from corticotroph adenoma tissue obtained from two patients with Cushing's disease. IL-1 beta (0.001-10 mumol/L) increased ACTH release 3-fold. Thymosin fraction-5 (10 mumol/L), gamma-interferon (1 mumol/L), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (1 mumol/L) also stimulated ACTH release. These cultured cells secreted little or no GH, PRL, TSH, LH, and FSH, and their release was not stimulated by any cytokine. These results suggest that ACTH release in patients with Cushing's disease may be responsive to stimulation by various cytokines.