Interleukin-6 increases the expression of key proteins associated with steroidogenesis in human NCI-H295R adrenocortical cells.

Mechanisms of interleukin-6 (IL-6)-induced cortisol release (CR) were investigated by exposing H295R cells to IL-6 and determining mRNA/protein expression (PCR/western blots) for steroidogenic enzymes (SE), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) (enhances SE/StAR expression), activator protein 1 (AP-1) (regulates SE/StAR expression) and adrenal hypoplasia congenita-like protein (DAX-1) (inhibits SE/StAR expression). Promoter activity of StAR (SPA) was measured by a luciferase-coupled promoter. Cortisol release was increased by 10ng/mL IL-6 (24h P<0.01). Proteins/mRNAs (StAR, cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme, SF-1, AP-1) and SPA were increased by IL-6 (60min 1-50ng/mL IL-6; 5ng/mL IL-6 30-120min P<0.05). Four other SE proteins/mRNAs were also increased by 10ng/mL IL-6 (60min P<0.01). Protein/mRNA for DAX-1 was decreased by IL-6 (60min 1-50ng/mL IL-6; 5ng/mL IL-6 30-120min P<0.01). Phosphorylation of Janus kinase (JAK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) was increased by IL-6 (JAK2 60min 1-50ng/mL IL-6; 10ng/mL IL-6 5-60min P<0.05; STAT1 and STAT3 60min 10ng/mL IL-6 P<0.01). Inhibition of JAK/STAT with AG490 (10µM) or piceatannol (50µM) blocked (P<0.01 10ng/mL IL-6vs. IL-6 plus AG490 or piceatannol) IL-6-induced increases in SPA and StAR mRNA. In summary, IL-6-induced CR may be facilitated by increased StAR and SE mediated by increased SF-1 and AP-1, decreased DAX-1, and increased phosphorylation of JAK/STAT.

Movement of sterile male Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a Hawaiian agroecosystem.

The melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett, invaded the Hawaiian Island chain in 1895. In 1999, a program sponsored by the USDA-ARS to control melon fly and other tephritid pests in Hawaii over a wide area was initiated on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Oahu. To control these flies in an areawide setting, understanding how flies move within the landscape is important. To explore the movement of this fly, we examined the movement of marked, male, sterile, laboratory-reared B. cucurbitae on the island of Hawaii in an agricultural setting. Two releases of dyed, sterile flies consisting of approximately 15,000 flies, were released 6 wk apart. Released flies were trapped back by using Moroccan traps baited with a male attractant. These two releases suggest that in the Hawaiian agricultural areas where the areawide control is being sought, melon flies do not move extensively when there are abundant larval host and adult roosting sites. Over the course of this study, only one fly made it the maximum distance that we could detect fly movement (approximately 2,000 m in 2 wk). From these data, it seems that the flies dispersed throughout the study area but then moved very little thereafter. This is very apparent in the second release where the recovery rate after the second week was still fairly high, suggesting that if there are plenty of host fields and roosting sites the flies are unlikely to move.