title: Interleukin-11 promotes accessory cell-dependent B-cell differentiation in humans.
abstract: Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a recently described stromal-derived cytokine that supports the growth of an IL-6-dependent murine plasmacytoma line in the presence of antibody to IL-6 and appears to act in a manner similar to IL-6 on hematopoietic stem cells. Because IL-6 is known to promote differentiation of normal human B cells, the role of IL-11 on B-cell differentiation in vitro was characterized. IL-11 does not result in significantly increased DNA synthesis or Ig secretion by purified B cells alone or B cells cultured with Staphylococcus Cowan I, a T-cell-independent B-cell mitogen. In contrast, purified B cells cultured in the presence of pokeweed mitogen (PWM), irradiated T cells, and monocytes show increased DNA synthesis at day 3 and increased IgG and IgM secretion at day 7 of culture; addition of IL-11 further augments Ig secretion without change in DNA synthesis, an effect that can only be partially blocked by monoclonal antibody to IL-6. Similar experiments confirmed that increased IgG secretion was demonstrable when either IL-11 or IL-6 was added to B cells + CD4+/45RA- T cells + monocytes + PWM; in contrast, Ig secretion was low and equivalent when CD4+/45RA+ T cells were cultured with B cells+monocytes+PWM with or without IL-6 or IL-11. Neither IL-6 nor IL-11 could significantly increase phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced DNA synthesis by CD4+/45RA- or CD4+/45RA+ T cells. Although PWM or IL-11 induced IL-6 mRNA expression in both CD4+/45RA- T cells and monocytes, in neither cell did IL-11 increase IL-6 mRNA expression over that noted to PWM alone. These observations support the view that IL-11 promotes differentiation of human B lymphocytes only in the presence of accessory T cells and monocytes and that a minor component of this effect may be through stimulation of IL-6 production by CD4+/45RA- T cells and monocytes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Tumor Immunology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cochran
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Barut
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D017370:Interleukin-11 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007375:Interleukin-1; D017370:Interleukin-11; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate