Constitutive expression of the interleukin-6 gene in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic lymphokine active as a growth factor on B-cell hybridomas and plasmacytomas and found to be identical with B-cell stimulatory factor 2, interferon beta 2, 26-Kd protein, and hepatocytes stimulating factor. IL-6 gene expression was investigated in fresh human chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by Northern blot analysis using a specific cDNA probe. 1.3-kb IL-6 transcript was found in six out of 11 B-CLL patients, while no hybridization was observed in ten cases of ALL of both T- and B-cell origin. The constitutive expression of IL-6 transcripts was associated with production of a biologically active protein as determined by using the IL-6-dependent 7TD1 cell line. It remains to be elucidated whether IL-6 gene expression is indeed important in the regulation of B-CLL growth or in its clinical manifestation.
Biondi
A
A
Clinica Pediatrica Università di Milano, Ospedale S. Gerardo, Italy.
Rossi
V
V
Bassan
R
R
Barbui
T
T
Bettoni
S
S
Sironi
M
M
Mantovani
A
A
Rambaldi
A
A
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002460:Cell Line; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D010641:Phenotype; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D012333:RNA, Messenger