title: Production of interleukin-6 by normal human trophoblast.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kameda
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saji
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tanizawa
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6