title: IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Autocrine and paracrine cytokines involved in B cell function.
abstract: IL-6 and TNF-alpha are synthesized and secreted by normal tonsillar B cells after stimulation with the polyclonal B cell activator Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain 1 (SAC) and IL-2 as well as spontaneously by in vivo activated B cells from patients with hypergammaglobulinemia. Using specific neutralizing antibodies, both factors were shown to be involved in autocrine and/or paracrine regulation of B cell differentiation. IgG induced by SAC/IL-2 stimulation was reduced 73% with an anti-IL-6 antibody and 40% with an anti-TNF-alpha antibody. Similar effects of these antibodies were observed on the spontaneous in vitro IgG production by lymphoblastic B cells from six patients with hypergammaglobulinemia. Kinetic studies with SAC/IL-2-activated B cells revealed that the anti-TNF-alpha antibody must be present at the beginning of the culture to exert an effect on Ig production, whereas the anti-IL-6 antibody reduced Ig production even if added as late as day 3. This sequential action of TNF-alpha and IL-6 on B cell differentiation was reflected by different kinetics of release of these two cytokines into the supernatant of SAC/IL-2 activated B cells; TNF-alpha peaked at 24 h and IL-6 at 96 h after stimulation. In addition, it was shown that IL-6 production by in vitro-activated B cells was partially blocked by an anti-TNF-alpha antibody suggesting that TNF-alpha regulates IL-6 production in normal B cells via an autocrine pathway. We also investigated the effects of TGF-beta on TNF-alpha and IL-6 production by normal B cells. Although TGF-beta inhibited Ig production by in vitro-activated and in vivo-activated B cells, it did not inhibit the release of these cytokines from normal B cells. Furthermore, TGF-beta did not inhibit the induction of nuclear factor-IL-6 nor the expression of IL-6R on activated B cells. Thus, although the biologic effects of anti-IL-6 and TGF-beta on B cell Ig production are similar, their mechanisms of actions appear to be distinct.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rieckmann
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Nordan
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Fauci
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kehrl
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha