Endocrinology
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The cytokines are the putative mediators of the catabolic reaction that accompanies infection and trauma. Evidence suggests that their catabolic actions are indirect and potentially mediated through changes in hormonal axis such as the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is a GH-dependent growth factor that regulates the protein metabolism. ⋯ In conclusion, our results show that IL-1 beta, and TNF-alpha to a lesser extent, blunt the IGF-I mRNA response to GH. The resistance to GH induced by IL-1 beta might be mediated by a decrease of GH receptors, as suggested by the marked reduction of GHR mRNA. These findings suggest that decreased circulating IGF-I, in response to infection and trauma, may be caused by a direct effect of cytokines at the hepatocyte level.