Intratumoral production of IL-6 in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and B lymphomas.
Interleukin-6 is a major B lymphocyte growth factor, and may play a role in the proliferation of malignant B lymphocytes. In order to provide arguments supporting such a role, the intratumoral production of IL-6 was studied by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry in 53 neoplastic tissues from B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia or B lymphomas. IL-6-producing cells were detected in all samples but 5. However, the number of IL-6 producing cells was variable amongst the different cases. Increased density of IL-6-producing cells was highly dependent on the presence of malignant immunoblasts within the neoplastic clone. IL-6 was produced in a paracrine way, macrophages and endothelial cells being the main producers of the cytokine while malignant immunoblasts expressed the IL-6 receptor. Taken together, these results suggest that IL-6 may indeed act as a growth factor for malignant cells in some B lymphoproliferations and that this paracrine loop could be the target of new therapeutic approaches.
Emilie
D
D
INSERM U131, Clamart, France.
Leger-Ravet
M B
MB
Devergne
O
O
Raphael
M
M
Peuchmaur
M
M
Coumbaras
J
J
Crevon
M C
MC
Galanaud
P
P
D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000032:analysis; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6
D015850:Interleukin-6; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6