Interleukin‐1 induces rapid and transient expression of the c‐fos proto‐oncogene in isolated pancreatic islets and in purified β‐cells

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Abstract
The effect of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1) on expression of c‐fos mRNA in isolated rat pancreatic islets was examined. Accumulation of c‐fos mRNA was demonstrable after 30 min of exposure to IL‐1, peaked by 60 min, and declined thereafter. Fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) of dispersed islet cells was employed to localize the accumulation of c‐fos mRNA to the β‐cell. Cycloheximide did not influence the induction of c‐fos mRNA by IL‐1. Accumulation of c‐fos mRNA therefore appears to be an early signal transduction event in the β‐cell and a component of the cellular mechanism(s) by which IL‐1 influences β‐cell function.