Nephrectomy enhances interleukin 6 secretion by interleukin 1-stimulated mesangial cells in vitro.
BACKGROUND
Kidney mesangial cells are capable of producing and responding to interleukin 6 (IL-6) . In experimental glomerulonephritis mesangial cell proliferation correlates with increased IL-6 production. To investigate the involvement of IL-6 in post-nephrectomy compensatory hypertrophy, we studied the capacity of mesangial cells from single remaining kidneys to secrete IL-6 in culture.


METHODS
Mesangial cells were obtained from uni-nephrectomized or sham-nephrectomized Charles River rats. Cell cultures were maintained for 8 days in DMEM/FI2HAM medium supplemented with IL-1 of interferon (IFN). IL6 production was measured using an IL-6-dependent B9 human hybridoma cell line.


RESULTS
IL-6 production by mesangial cells from normal kidneys was significantly enhanced by IL-1, compared to unstimulated cells (p<0.01), and the increase was significantly greater in mesangial cells from a single remaining kidney (p<0.01). All cultures grown in control medium or with addition of IFN produced similar amounts of IL-6.


CONCLUSIONS
Mesangial cells from single remaining kidneys in culture maintain an exaggerated capacity to produce IL-6 in response to IL-1. IL-6 was reported to enhance or inhibit mesangial cell proliferation in vitro. We suggest that the local over production of IL-6 by a single remaining kidney may play a role in regulating a sequence of physiological events in compensatory renal growth, initially stimulating mesangial cell proliferation and later blunting the process.
Weissgarten
J
J
Nephrology Division, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Zerifin, Israel.
Golik
A
A
Cohn
M
M
Dishi
V
V
Cohen
N
N
Berman
S
S
Modai
D
D
Averbukh
Z
Z
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009392:Nephrectomy; D051381:Rats
D003470:Culture Media; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6