Interleukin-1 Inhibits the Induction of Insulin-like Growth Factor-I by Growth Hormone in CWSV-1 Hepatocytes

Sepsis results in hepatic "growth hormone (GH) resistance" with reductions in plasma IGF-I despite a two- to fourfold increase in circulating GH. In this study, we examine the effects of IL-1 on GH receptor (GHR) expression, GH signaling (via the JAK/STAT and MAPK pathways), and the induction of gene expression [IGF-I mRNA and serine protease inhibitor (Spi) 2.1] by GH in CWSV-1 hepatocytes. Incubation of cells with IL-1beta (10 ng/ml, 24 h) had no effect on the relative abundance of GHR or signaling proteins JAK2, STAT5b, and ERK1/2 in cell lysates. Baseline phosphorylation of GHR, JAK2, STAT5b, and ERK1/2 was minimal. After GH stimulation, tyrosine phosphorylation of GHR, JAK2, STAT5b, and ERK1/2 increased 2- to 10-fold. However, neither the time course nor the magnitude of GHR, JAK2, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation by GH were significantly altered by IL-1. The GH-induced translocation of STAT5b to the nucleus was not prevented by IL-1. Although phosphorylated STAT5 in nuclear extracts from GH + IL-1 cells was decreased by 24% (vs. controls) 15 min after GH stimulation, this did not result in reduced STAT5-DNA binding activity. Pretreatment with IL-1 did not significantly decrease IGF-I mRNA stability. We conclude that IL-1 only minimally affects the time course of JAK2/STAT5 and MAPK signaling by GH. Therefore, an inhibitory effect of IL-1 on IGF-I and Spi 2.1 mRNA synthesis by GH represents the most likely mechanism for IL-1-mediated GH resistance.