gp130, the cytokine common signal-transducer of interleukin-6 cytokine family, is downregulated in T cells in vivo by interleukin-6.
gp130 is a common signal-transducing receptor component for the interleukin-6 (IL-6) family of cytokines. To investigate the expression of gp130 in T-cell subsets and its regulation, anti-murine gp130 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) was used for flow cytometric analysis. In normal mice, gp130 was differentially expressed in thymocyte and splenic T-cell subpopulations defined by CD4/CD8 expression. In aged MRL/lpr mice, although gp130 expression was detectable in splenic CD4(+) or CD8(+) T cells, gp130 expression was significantly downregulated. Because serum levels of IL-6 and soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) are elevated in these mice, we examined the possibility that the downregulation of gp130 expression on splenic T cells might be produced in response to continuous activation of gp130 by high levels of serum IL-6. In transgenic mice overexpressing IL-6, gp130 expression in the splenic T cells was significantly decreased. After stimulation with IL-6 in vitro, the level of gp130 on CD4(+) or CD8(+) splenic T cells from normal mice was significantly decreased. These results suggest that the expression of gp130 in splenic T cells could be downregulated by the IL-6 stimulation under physiological or pathological circumstances.
Wang
X J
XJ
Department of Molecular Immunology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
Taga
T
T
Yoshida
K
K
Saito
M
M
Kishimoto
T
T
Kikutani
H
H
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D050822:Cytokine Receptor gp130; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019463:Mice, Inbred MRL lpr; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; C494200:Il6st protein, mouse; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D050822:Cytokine Receptor gp130