title: Human recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (hrIL-1ra) enhances the stimulatory effect of interleukin-2 on natural killer cell activity against MOLT-4 target cells.
abstract: Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is considered an enhancer of host defence against malignancies. Patients with different diseases, including cancer patients with large tumour burdens, have demonstrated a reduced production of IL-1 from circulating leukocytes, in vitro. There are many naturally occurring substances which inhibit IL-1 activity aspecifically. Recently an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) has been discovered, which is secreted by human macrophages and is structurally similar to IL-1 beta (26% homology). The pretreatment of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with hrIL-1ra (0.25-250 ng/ml) inhibits IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta and enhances, in a dose-dependent manner, the stimulatory effect of IL-2 on their natural killer (NK) activity against a lymphoid cell line MOLT-4. The enhancing effect of IL-1ra on IL-2 activity was similar to that provoked by IL-1 beta. However, when IL-1ra was used alone without IL-2, no stimulatory effect was found compared with the control. In our data we show that a member of the IL-1 family, IL-1ra, has a significant effect on IL-2-stimulated NK activity against the MOLT-4 cell line. These studies provide new evidence of the biological potential of IL-1ra since this new protein enhances IL-2 activity on NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Division, University of Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Barbacane
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Panara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reale
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Placido
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fridas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bongrazio
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dempsey
mesh_terms: D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000473:pathology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: C507763:IL1RN protein, human; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins