Interleukin-6 (IL-6) production in carcinoma of the cervix.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that is not only a mediator in major immunologic reactions but also a growth factor of keratinocytes. We studied the IL-6 secretion in vitro of 15 human cell lines derived from both squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. Four of the eight well differentiated SCC secreted a large amount (> 1500 pg/48 h/10(6) cells) of IL-6 in nude mice. In contrast, poorly differentiated SCC cell lines and all of the 7 adenocarcinoma cell lines secreted a small amount (< 500 pg/48 h/10(6) cells of IL-6). The expression of IL-6 mRNA of the cell lines correlated well with their IL-6 secretion potential. However, the expression of IL-6 receptor did not correlate with the IL-6 secretory potential. We also studied the IL-6 secretion of freshly isolated normal squamous epithelium and of dysplastic epithelium. In culture, two normal squamous epithelia secreted a large amount (> 2000 pg/48 h/10(6) cells), whereas 8 dysplasia epithelia secreted an extremely small amount (< 10 pg/48 h/10(6) cells). About one-third of patients with SCC had a raised serum IL-6 value. IL-6 production may help to differentiate between SCC and adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. IL-6 regulation seems to change in the course of SCC carcinogenesis.
Takano
H
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chiba University School of Medicine, Japan.
Harigaya
K
K
Ishii
G
G
Sugaya
Y
Y
Soeta
S
S
Nunoyama
T
T
Shirasawa
H
H
Shimizu
K
K
Tokita
H
H
Simizu
B
B
Mikata
A
A
Sekiya
S
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000235:genetics; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6