title: Interleukin-13 sensitivity and receptor phenotypes of human glial cell lines: non-neoplastic glia and low-grade astrocytoma differ from malignant glioma.
abstract: Many of the actions and receptor components of interleukin-13 (IL-13), a pleiotrophic cytokine with immunotherapeutic potential, are shared with IL-4. Because human low-grade astrocytoma cells express IL-4 receptors and their growth is arrested by IL-4, we speculated that IL-13 sensitivity and receptor expression might also be present. The purpose of the current study was to investigate IL-13 receptor components and sensitivity in a series of glial cell lines derived from adult human non-neoplastic cerebral cortex, low-grade astrocytoma, anaplastic astrocytoma, and glioblastoma multiforme. Unlike peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), glial cells did not express IL-2 receptor gamma chain. IL-13 receptor alpha-1 (IL-13Ralpha1), however, was present in 11/13 glial lines and PBL. Deficient cell lines were all glioblastoma-derived. All anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma but not other glial lines or PBL expressed IL-13 receptor alpha-2 (IL-13Ralpha2). In non-neoplastic glia, low-grade, and anaplastic astrocytoma, IL-13 decreased DNA synthesis, an effect reversible with antibody to IL-4Ralpha. Results indicate that low-grade astrocytoma cells resemble non-neoplastic glia in terms of IL-13 sensitivity and IL-4Ralpha/IL-13Ralpha1 receptor profile but alterations occur with malignant progression. Glioblastoma cells were uniformly insensitive to IL-13 and, unlike other glia, failed to phosphorylate STAT6 after IL-13 challenge. Data suggest that IL-13 and analysis of IL-13 receptors may have clinical application in glial tumors.
authors.affiliation: Rammelkamp Center for Education and Research, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Prayson
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Estes
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Barna
mesh_terms: D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000737:chemistry*; D005910:Glioma / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053661:Interleukin-13 Receptor alpha1 Subunit; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010641:Phenotype; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000032:analysis*; D053660:Receptors, Interleukin-13; D019948:Receptors, Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000502:physiology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: C508181:IL13RA1 protein, human; D018793:Interleukin-13; D053661:Interleukin-13 Receptor alpha1 Subunit; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D053660:Receptors, Interleukin-13; D019948:Receptors, Interleukin-4; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor; C494101:STAT6 protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators