title: Interleukin-6 expression by fibroblasts grown in three-dimensional gel cultures.
abstract: We investigated the expression and biological activity of interleukin-6 (IL-6) by human fibroblasts cultured as monolayers and within three-dimensional type I collagen lattices. In the course of contracting the gel to a dense tissue-like structure, the cells upregulated their levels of IL-6 mRNA as well as IL-6 biological activity. While there was little mRNA and protein activity (6,500 U/ml) in monolayer cultures, fibroblasts in the 3D system showed a 13-fold increase in IL-6 mRNA on day 3. IL-6 protein was increased 6-fold (38,000 U/ml) on day 4. Stimulation of fibroblast cultures with IL-1 alpha resulted in enhanced IL-6 production in both systems, but the fibroblasts embedded into the 3D network continued to exhibit higher levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eckes
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hunzelmann
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Ziegler-Heitbrock
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urbanski
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luger
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krieg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mauch
mesh_terms: D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger