title: Interferon-alpha synergistically enhances induction of interleukin-6 by double stranded RNA in HeLa cells.
abstract: Double stranded RNA (dsRNA), an intermediate that is common during viral infection, directly induces much higher levels of expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA than does the cytokine IL-1beta. Interferon alpha (IFNalpha) by itself does not induce expression of IL-6; nonetheless, IFNalpha pretreatment dramatically enhances IL-6 induction by dsRNA but not by IL-1beta. Mutation of either the activating transcription factor/cyclic AMP response element binding protein (ATF/CREB) or the NF-IL-6 binding element within the IL-6 promoter eliminates most responsiveness of CAT reporter constructs to either dsRNA or to IL-1beta. IFNalpha pretreatment partially restores responsiveness to dsRNA but not to IL-1beta when either the ATF/CREB site or the NF-IL-6 site is mutated, but at least one of these sites must be intact for responsiveness to be restored. Mutation of the kappaB binding site in the IL-6 promoter eliminates responsiveness to either IL-1beta or to dsRNA, and pretreatment with IFNalpha does not restore any responsiveness. Incubation with dsRNA leads to a decrease in protein translation, especially in cells that have been pretreated with IFNalpha. Nonetheless, IFNalpha pretreatment followed by dsRNA leads to very high IL-6 protein levels. These studies demonstrate that major differences exist in the induction of IL-6 at both the mRNA and protein levels by dsRNA compared to cytokines and that IFNalpha pretreatment selectively enhances IL-6 induction by dsRNA but not by IL-1beta. The high levels of IL-6 expression that result when cells encounter class I IFN prior to dsRNA suggest a mechanism for a heightened host response to viral infection with heightened production of this pleotropic cytokine.
authors.affiliation: Program in Biochemistry, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Harcourt
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Offermann
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase