title: Interleukin-1 as an autocrine stimulator in the growth of human ovarian cancer cells.
abstract: The role of interleukin-1 (IL-1), a multifunctional cytokine which mediates important immune responses, was investigated in the growth of ovarian cancer cell lines in vitro. The messenger RNA for IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta was expressed in six and four ovarian cancer cell lines, respectively out of eight. Measurement of IL-1 in the eight cell lines by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that two lines, MCAS and TYK-nu, secreted a high amount of IL-1 alpha, but that none secreted IL-1 beta after 72 hours of incubation. The growth of these cells was significantly stimulated by the addition of recombinant IL-1 alpha (rIL-1 alpha) in a concentration-dependent manner in a 96 hour culture. The maximum response was obtained with 10 ng/ml of IL-1 alpha by counting the viable cell number using trypan blue. [3H]-thymidine incorporation by these cells was also stimulated by a 72 hour incubation with rIL-1 alpha. The spontaneous growth of these cells was inhibited by the addition of anti-IL-1 alpha antibody, anti-IL-1 receptor antibody or IL-1 receptor antagonist. These cells expressed two classes of IL-1 binding receptors on their surface as detected by [125I]-labeled rIL-1 alpha. These results indicate that IL-1 alpha is an autocrine growth stimulator for some ovarian cancer cells and suggest that IL-1 alpha plays an important role in the progression of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohama
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017931:DNA Primers; D006133:Growth Substances; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D066246:ErbB Receptors