title: Interleukin-6 production and secretion in human melanoma cell lines: regulation by interleukin-1.
abstract: These investigations were designed to test the hypothesis that exogenous and/or endogenous interleukin-1 (IL-1) regulates interleukin-6 (IL-6) production in human melanoma cell lines. Ten cell lines were examined for IL-1 and IL-6 expression. Six of these 10 lines constitutively expressed detectable IL-6 mRNA by RT-PCR; three of these six cell lines also produced intracellular and secreted IL-6 as evidenced by positive reaction for IL-6 using immunohistochemistry staining and ELISA methods; three others produced only intracellular IL-6. Addition of exogenous IL-1 alpha was shown to have the following effects on IL-6 production: first, de novo induction of detectable IL-6 intracellular protein and secreted IL-6 in a cell line void of either; second, stimulation of IL-6 secretion in all three cell lines producing only intracellular IL-6 protein; and third, quantitative enhancement of IL-6 secretion in cell lines that constitutively secreted IL-6. Three of the 10 lines which secreted IL-6 also constitutively secreted IL-1 alpha. Experiments employing the IL-1 receptor antagonist confirmed an extracellular receptor-mediated role of IL-1 in regulation of IL-6 production in such cells. These results indicate that IL-1 can regulate IL-6 in human melanoma cells; however, heterogeneity in the constitutive expression as well as variability in response exists with respect to these two cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Biology, University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Krohn
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Buzaid
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Grimm
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger