title: rmIL-6 stimulates the transcriptional activity of the rat PF4 gene.
abstract: We have examined the effect of recombinant murine interleukin-6 (rmIL-6) on megakaryocytopoiesis in a liquid rat bone marrow culture system. At concentrations of IL-6 up to 100 ng/mL, no stimulation of megakaryocyte ploidy was observed. However, transient expression studies revealed that IL-6 did have a significant effect on the transcriptional activity of the platelet factor four (PF4) gene, a platelet alpha-granule protein gene uniquely expressed in megakaryocytes. Furthermore, when the amount of PF4 message was directly measured in megakaryocytes, it was increased three-fold in response to IL-6. We also note that the PF4 promoter contains a hexamer, CTGGGA, described as the IL-6-responsive element in other genes. Our results suggest that the platelet progeny of IL-6-stimulated megakaryocytes may have altered alpha-granule constituents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ravid
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kuter
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005796:Genes; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids; D010978:Platelet Factor 4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D010978:Platelet Factor 4; D013006:Growth Hormone