title: The role of interleukin-6 in mucosal IgA antibody responses in vivo.
abstract: In mice with targeted disruption of the gene that encodes interleukin-6 (IL-6), greatly reduced numbers of immunoglobulin A (IgA)-producing cells were observed at mucosae and grossly deficient local antibody responses were recorded after mucosal challenge with either ovalbumin or vaccinia virus. The IgA response in the lungs was completely restored after intranasal infection with recombinant vaccinia viruses engineered to express IL-6. These findings demonstrate a critical role for IL-6 in vivo in the development of local IgA antibody responses and illustrate the effectiveness of vector-directed cytokine gene therapy.
authors.affiliation: John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ramsay
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Husband
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Ramshaw
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Matthaei
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koehler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kopf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008643:Mesentery / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D009154:Mutation; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014162:Transfection; D014615:Vaccinia / Q000276:immunology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010047:Ovalbumin