Production of interleukin-6 by normal human trophoblast.
The placenta plays a number of important roles during pregnancy, some of which might be mediated by cytokines with multiple activities such as IL-6. Using an IL-6-dependent cell line, MH6o.BSF2, we showed that the placenta released IL-6 into the culture supernatant. Analysis of single-cell suspensions of placental cells determined the major source of IL-6 to be trophoblast. Using a mouse monoclonal antibody specific for IL-6 (alpha BSF2-I66), immuno-histochemical analysis of placental specimens demonstrated the localization of IL-6 only in the trophoblast layer. Additional immunocytochemical studies with single-cell suspensions of trophoblasts demonstrated the preferential presence of IL-6 molecules in syncytiotrophoblasts rather than cytotrophoblasts. The evidence that a high titer of IL-6 is produced spontaneously by syncytiotrophoblasts indicates that IL-6 may play immunological roles in fetomaternal interactions by means of IL-6-driven multiple immunoregulatory activities.
Kameda
T
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Matsuzaki
N
N
Sawai
K
K
Okada
T
T
Saji
F
F
Matsuda
T
T
Hirano
T
T
Kishimoto
T
T
Tanizawa
O
O
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*
D015850:Interleukin-6