title: Role of interleukin-6 and soluble IL-6 receptor in region-specific induction of astrocytic differentiation and neurotrophin expression.
abstract: Increasing evidence supports an essential role for interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the development, differentiation, as well as de- and re-generation of neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). Both IL-6 and its specific receptor (IL-6R) are expressed on neurons and glial cells including astrocytes. In this study, we have analyzed the responses of primary rat astrocytes of various brain regions to IL-6 with respect to morphological changes and neurotrophin expression. Since IL-6 alone failed to initiate effects on astrocytes, we have examined whether the soluble IL-6R (sIL-6R) can modulate the responsiveness of to IL-6 in these cells. For this purpose, we used a highly active fusion protein of IL-6 and sIL-6R, which is designated Hyper-IL-6 (H-IL-6). We show that treatment of cultured astrocytes with Hyper-IL-6 promotes region-specific morphological changes of GFAP-positive astrocytes from typical stellate- to fibrous-like cells. In addition, we find that Hyper-IL-6 induces expression of neurotrophins (NTs) of the nerve growth factor (NGF)-family in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, astrocytes of various brain regions show differing patterns of cytokine-induced NT expression: NGF is maximally induced in cortex and hippocampus, NT-3 in hippocampus, and NT-4/5 in cortex and cerebellum. In summary, our results indicate that IL-6 in conjunction with sIL-6R regulates specific neurotrophin expression in astrocytes in a brain region dependent manner. Thus, the IL-6 system provides a local supply of neurotrophins that participate in diverse CNS functions such as protection of neurons from insults, neuronal survival, and neuro-immune responses.
authors.affiliation: I. Med. Clinic, Section Pathophysiology, University of Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: März
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heese
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dimitriades-Schmutz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rose-John
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Otten
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C071951:neurotrophin 5; C073922:neurotrophin 4