Murine interleukin 1 stimulates alpha 2-macroglobulin synthesis in rat hepatocyte primary cultures.

In rat hepatocyte primary cultures recombinant interleukin 1 was found to stimulate alpha 2-macroglobulin synthesis, whereas albumin synthesis was decreased. Although recent experiments gave evidence that a hepatocyte-stimulating factor distinct from interleukin 1 must exist, we conclude that interleukin 1 exerts a direct effect on hepatocytes by inducing acute-phase protein synthesis.