Effetti di interleuchina (IL-1) tumor necrosis factor(TNF) e interferon-gamma (IFN-g) sulla morfologia e funzione in vitro delle insule pancreatiche di ratto.

Although humoral mediators of the immune system are being preliminarily shown to affect pancreatic islet viability and function, their role on autoimmune selective beta cell destruction continues to be unknown. The aim of this study was to begin to elucidate the effects of some cytokines (IL-1, TNF, IFN-γ), either alone or in combination, on morphologic integrity and function of in vitro cultured rat pancreatic islets. While IL-1 and TNF were shown, after 5 days of culture maintenance, to adversely affect islet viability and function, no detrimental effects were associated with IFN-γ. The effects of IL-1 and TNF detected at concentrations of 10-1000 U/ml did not appear to be potentiated synergistically by combination of the two cytokines. IL-1 related inhibitory effects, on insulin secretion, at physiologic or extraphysiologic (100-1000 U/ml) concentrations, appeared to be reversible and strictly dependent upon presence of the cytokine in the culture media. These preliminary data confirm that IL-1 and TNF may compromise isolated islet viability and function although this phenomenon seems to be reversible.