Interleukin-6 production by the blast cells of acute myeloblastic leukemia: regulation by endogenous interleukin-1 and biological implications.
Coordinate production of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or IL-6 by the blast cells of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) and normal peripheral blood leukocytes have been previously reported (van der Shoot et al.: Blood 74:2081-2087, 1989; Bradbury et al.: Leukemia 4:44-47 1990a, British Journal of Haematology 16:(in press), 1990b; Rodriguez-Cimadevilla et al.: Blood 76:1481-1489, 1990; Schindler et al.: Blood 75:40-47, 1990). In the present study, we show that IL-6 production by AML blasts is up-regulated by endogenously produced IL-1 beta. Neutralization of the endogenous source of IL-1 results in a significant decrease in IL-6 production, as determined by ELISA. Conversely, exposure of AML blasts to IL-1 alpha results in a significant increase in IL-6 production in 10 of 16 patient samples. Antibodies against IL-1 alpha and -beta also cause a drastic decrease in IL-6 and GM-CSF gene expression by the cells, suggesting that cytokine gene expression in AML blasts is driven, at least in part, by endogenous IL-1. The biologic significance of IL-6 production in culture of AML blasts has been addressed using a neutralizing antibody against IL-6. Our data indicate that IL-6 is important for the survival of clonogenic blasts in culture. In contrast, the survival of the total population of blasts is IL-6-independent, as assessed by the integrity of cellular DNA, even in the presence of anti-IL-6. These observations are consistent with the view that AML blasts might be organized as a lineage, with comparable hierarchy as in normal hemopoiesis and, perhaps, increased heterogeneity despite a homogenous appearance (McCulloch and Till: Blood Cells 7:63-77, 1981; Buick and McCulloch: Control of Animal Cell Proliferation. Academic Press, New York, vol. 1, pp. 25-57, 1985). Buick and McCulloch have identified a subpopulation of AML clonogenic cells with stem-cell-like properties, and suggested that the majority of blasts may have undergone a determination-like step. Our data indicate a marked difference in IL-6 requirement for cell survival between precursors and the majority of blasts, suggesting that IL-6 responsiveness may decrease following a determination-like event, i.e., the reduction in proliferative capacity.
Beauchemin
V
V
Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Villeneuve
L
L
Rodriguez-Cimadevilla
J C
JC
Rajotte
D
D
Kenney
J S
JS
Clark
S C
SC
Hoang
T
T
D000906:Antibodies; D001752:Blast Crisis / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay
D000906:Antibodies; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm