Detection of IL-6 in human milk and its involvement in IgA production.
A large amount of interleukin-6 (IL-6) was found to be contained in human whey. The concentration of IL-6 in colostrum was significantly higher than that in serum or in milk taken 1 month after parturition. Colostrum contained many more mononuclear cells than late milk. In terms of the proportion of monocytes, T cells and B cells, however, there is no difference between colostrum and late milk. There is a significantly positive correlation between the concentration of IL-6 and the number of mononuclear cells in milk. This demonstrates that IL-6 in whey is derived in part from mononuclear cells. Stimulation of human milk mononuclear cells by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I in the presence of anti-IL-6 antibody markedly decreased the production of IgA. This suggests that IL-6 contained in milk is closely associated with the local production of IgA in the breast.
Saito
S
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Japan.
Maruyama
M
M
Kato
Y
Y
Moriyama
I
I
Ichijo
M
M
D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003126:Colostrum / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D015850:Interleukin-6