Effect of growth hormone, prolactin and insulin on the release of IL-1 alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-4 by staphylococcal enterotoxin A-stimulated splenocytes.

The regulation by peptide hormones (Growth Hormone, Prolactin, Insulin) of cytokine secretion by splenocytes stimulated with Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A was studied. Growth hormone increases the release of IFN-gamma from splenocytes stimulated with Enterotoxin A by 50% but considerably decreases IL-1 alpha release by 93%. Prolactin decreases the release of IL-1 alpha by 80%, but has no significant effects on IFN-gamma release. Insulin causes a 50% decrease in IFN-gamma and 95% decrease in IL-1 alpha. IL-4 release was not changed. The results are discussed in terms of the possibility of an interesting function for these endocrine peptides which expands their range of biologic activities within the immune system.