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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

interleukin-6, C-fos, c-jun, adrenal secretion, ACTH

College

Life Sciences

Department

Physiology and Developmental Biology

Abstract

The secretions of the adrenal gland are responsible for the body’s response to stress. One of the major mechanisms by which these secretions are regulated is by the way of the hypothalamuspituitary- adrenal axis (HPA axis). However, it was suspected that other mechanisms exist that are utilized by the body in order to up or down regulate adrenal secretions. One adrenal secretion, cortisol, is of special interest due to its great abundance and various effects in the body. Cortisol levels are generally regulated by ACTH, which is released by the pituitary. However, it was also shown to be increased by interleukin-6 by Allan Judd in 2000. Even though it has been shown that interleukin-6 greatly increases the level of cortisol from the adrenal gland, the method by which it occurs has been unclear. This research project hypothesized that interleukin-6 increases cortisol release via the cytokines c-fos and c-jun. C-fos and c-jun together form a common transcription factor name AP-1.

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