Experimental studies of intracellular liver protective mechanisms in development of chronic fluorine intoxication.

The authors studied intracellular liver protective mechanisms in development of chronic fluorine intoxication. Findings are that synthesis of protective proteins HIF-1α, HOx-1, HOx-2 and HSP72, restricting free radical oxidation in hepatocytes increased in liver at early stages (1-3 weeks) of exposure to fluorine. At late terms of chronic fluorine intoxication (6-12 weeks), damaging effects of fluorine result from its genotixicity - ability to suppress synthesis of intracellular protective proteins and enzymes of main metabolic cycles in liver.

Leukemia inhibitory factor regulates glucocorticoid receptor expression in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine belonging to the gp130 family. LIF is induced peripherally and within the brain during inflammatory or chronic autoimmune diseases and is a potent stimulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Here we investigated the role of LIF in mediating glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in the HPA axis.

Hypothalamic-pituitary cytokine network.

Cytokines expressed in the brain and involved in regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis contribute to the neuroendocrine interface. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and LIF receptors are expressed in human pituitary cells and murine hypothalamus and pituitary. LIF potently induces pituitary proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene transcription and ACTH secretion and potentiates CRH induction of POMC.