Abstract
IL-1R antagonist (IL-1Ra) is a natural inhibitor of the pleiotropic proinflammatory activities of IL-1. Although several reports described the effects of complete IL-1Ra deficiency, no study has examined the consequences of cell type-specific IL-1Ra inactivation during systemic inflammation. Previous in vitro data demonstrated high IL-1Ra production by hepatocytes and myeloid cells after endotoxin stimulation. In addition, hepatocyte IL-1Ra production is regulated as an acute-phase protein in vitro. In this study, we analyzed the production and functional role of hepatocyte- and myeloid cell-derived IL-1Ra during endotoxin-induced septic shock and acute IL-1beta-induced sterile inflammation. Using conditional IL-1Ra knockout mice, we showed that hepatocytes and myeloid cells are the two major cellular sources of circulating IL-1Ra in response to LPS. Interestingly, IL-1Ra production by myeloid cells, but not hepatocytes, is critical for survival during endotoxemia. Furthermore, we provide the first in vivo evidence demonstrating that IL-1Ra is produced as an acute-phase protein by hepatocytes during IL-1beta-induced inflammation and that hepatocyte-derived IL-1Ra functions as an endogenous negative feedback downregulating the proinflammatory effects of IL-1. Taken together, our observations define distinct roles for two major cellular sources of IL-1Ra in response to different types of systemic inflammatory stimuli in vivo.