Student Research - Biology
Lindsay Ward
Stimulation of the ±-adrenergic receptor on the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line
Abstract: It has been established that macrophages release inflammatory mediators known as cytokines upon LPS-stimulation. Previous studies suggest that catecholamines alter cytokine production, such as tumor necrosis factor± or interleukin-1² by binding to ±- or ²- adrenergic receptors on cell membranes of primary macrophages. This study was designed to examine the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line for ±-adrenergic receptors. RAW264.7 macrophages were activated with LPS in the presence or absence of clonidine, an ±2-adrenergic receptor agonist, and the production of two cytokines (TNF± and IL-6) was measured. Preliminary studies suggest that that clonidine may alter cytokine production of activated RAW264.7 macrophages; however, further investigation is needed to clarify these findings.
|
