title: Erythropoietin enhances immunoglobulin production and proliferation by human plasma cells in a serum-free medium.
abstract: The effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (Epo) on plasma cells was studied in a serum-free medium, COSMEDIUM-001 (Cosmedium). Epo enhanced both Ig production and thymidine uptake by human plasma cell lines, AF-10 and IM-9. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) enhanced both Ig production and thymidine uptake by AF-10 and IM-9, while other cytokines, including IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) or IFN-gamma, failed to do so. However, the Epo effect was specific since Epo-induced enhancement of Ig production and thymidine uptake was blocked by the anti-Epo antibody but not by the anti-IL-6 antibody or the control antibody. Conversely, IL-6-induced enhancement was blocked by the anti-IL-6 antibody but not by the anti-Epo antibody. Epo also enhanced Ig production (IgG, IgM, and IgA) and thymidine uptake by PCA-1+ plasma cells generated in vitro. This enhancement was also blocked by the anti-Epo antibody but not by the anti-IL-6 antibody. Taken together, these results suggest that Epo enhances plasma cell responses by a different mechanism than does IL-6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ishioka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mikawa
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D016207:Cytokines; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin