Interleukin-6 functions as an autocrine growth factor in a cholangiocarcinoma cell line.
The tumour cells of a human cholangiocarcinoma cell line, HuCC-T1, were found to express mRNA of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and to secrete a large amount of biologically active IL-6 in the culture medium at the concentration of 22.6 ng/mL. Interleukin-6 was demonstrated in the cytoplasm of the cells by immunohistochemical staining. Furthermore, these cells showed the presence of receptors for IL-6 on the surface, and DNA synthesis of the cells was stimulated by the exogenous addition of recombinant human IL-6 into the culture medium. The cell growth was significantly inhibited in the presence of anti-human IL-6 antibody in the culture medium. These findings indicate that IL-6 is one of the autocrine growth factors of this cell line in vitro.
Okada
K
K
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
Shimizu
Y
Y
Nambu
S
S
Higuchi
K
K
Watanabe
A
A
D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000032:analysis; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D006133:Growth Substances; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6