Effect of recombinant interleukin-1 on mRNA levels in rat liver.

Levels of rat liver mRNA for the plasma proteins albumin, apolipoprotein E, transthyretin, transferrin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, major acute-phase alpha 1-protein, and the beta-chain of fibrinogen were measured after intraperitoneal injection of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1). A maximum response of mRNA levels for most of the plasma proteins studied was reached between 6 and 10 h after injection of IL-1. The results suggest that at the dosage used, IL-1 alone does not elicit a typical acute-phase response of the plasma protein-synthesizing system of the liver.