Differential effects of recombinant interleukin-1 alpha and beta on Leydig cell function.

Previously we have reported that human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG)-stimulated testosterone biosynthesis was markedly inhibited by purified natural human interleukin-1 (IL-1). In the present study we evaluated the effects of human and murine recombinant IL-1 (rIL-1) on Leydig cell steroidogenesis in primary culture. Human rIL-1 beta caused a dose-dependent inhibition of hCG-, 8-bromo cyclic AMP-, and forskolin-induced testosterone formation. In contrast, human rIL-1 alpha was considerably less potent. When the effects of the cytokines were corrected for their biological potencies, human rIL-1 beta and murine rIL-1 alpha were still more effective than human rIL-1 alpha in inhibiting testosterone production (at least 100-fold more potent). Thus, even though IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta bind to the same receptors on T cells, Leydig cells exhibit differential sensitivity in response to rIL-1 alpha and rIL-1 beta which is partly species dependent.