title: Interleukin-6 is necessary, but not sufficient, for induction of the humanC-reactive protein gene in vivo.
abstract: We have investigated the involvement of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the induction of the gene encoding the acute-phase protein human C-reactive protein (hCRP). In transgenic mice the hCRP gene can be induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), but not by IL-6. In contrast, hCRP was inducible by IL-6 in primary human hepatocytes and in primary hepatocytes isolated from transgenic mice. To further evaluate the role of IL-6, we introduced the hCRP transgene into animals lacking endogenous IL-6 (IL-6-negative mice). Here, hCRP was not inducible by LPS, but was induced by a combination of LPS and IL-6. These results clearly demonstrate that IL-6 is necessary, but not sufficient, for the induction of hCRP expression. These animal models will allow further dissection of the cytokine network responsible for the regulation of the major human acute-phase reactant CRP.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Molekularbiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover OE 5250, 30623 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weinhold
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rüther
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein