title: IL-2 induces IL-6 production in human monocytes.
abstract: IL-2 is a potent activator of effector and secretory activities of human monocytes. Since monocytes are an important source of IL-6, we investigated whether IL-2 can induce IL-6 production and whether regulatory circuits can modulate this process. We found that stimulation of monocytes with IL-2 induced expression of IL-6 mRNA and bioactivity in a dose-dependent manner. Production of IL-6 in monocytes can be induced by other cytokines such as IL-1 beta. By using mAb alpha-IL-1 beta we showed that IL-2-induced IL-6 production is not mediated by the autocrine stimulation of IL-1 beta elicited by IL-2. IL-6 induction by monocytes is not a common response to activating signals because IFN-gamma did not induce IL-6 expression under conditions in which it elicits tumoricidal activity. In contrast, IFN-gamma could completely abrogate the induction of IL-6 expression by IL-1 beta but did not affect the levels of mRNA and the secretion of IL-2-elicited IL-6. We have previously reported that transforming growth factor-beta inhibits IL-6 production in response to IL-1 beta. Studies on the inhibitory activity of transforming growth factor-beta demonstrated that this cytokine differs from IFN-gamma because it inhibited both IL-1- and IL-2-induced IL-6 expression. These data demonstrate that, in human monocytes, both IL-1 and IL-2 stimulate IL-6 expression by independent mechanisms that can be dissociated by the susceptibility to the inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma. IL-6 production is also down-regulated by TGF-beta, whose inhibitory activity is stimulus-unrelated.
authors.affiliation: Biological Carcinogenesis and Development Program, PRI/DynCorp, Frederick, MD.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Musso
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Espinoza-Delgado
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pulkki
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gusella
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Varesio
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007371:Interferon-gamma