Interleukin-6 (IL-6) production by cytokine-stimulated human Müller cells.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether or not human Müller cells synthesize interleukin (IL)-6.


METHODS
Using RT-PCR, we first confirmed whether cultured human Müller cells express IL-6 mRNA. Then, to determine Müller cell IL-6 production after stimulation, cultured Müller cells were exposed to various concentrations of IL-1beta (0.2 ng/ml, 2 ng/ml, 20 ng/ml) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (0.001 microg/ml, 0.1 microg/ml, 10 microg/ml) in 24 hr assays. In addition, to determine Müller cell time-dependent induction of IL-6 production, cultured Müller cells were exposed to IL-1beta (0.02 ng/ml, 2 ng/ml) or LPS (10 microg/ml) for 6, 12, 24, 36 hr. IL-6 production in supernatants was quantified by ELISA:


RESULTS
IL-6 mRNA was expressed in cultured human Müller cells, which produced IL-6 after stimulation with either IL-1beta or LPS for 24 hours. IL-1beta was a significantly more potent stimulator of IL-6 production than was LPS. Exposure of cultured human Müller cells to either IL-1beta or LPS stimulated IL-6 production in a time-dependent fashion.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that human Müller cells can produce IL-6 when stimulated by IL-1beta or LPS. Müller cell IL-6 production may have an important role in various conditions involving ocular inflammation
Yoshida
S
S
Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto City, Kamigyo-ku, Japan. shatta@ophth.kpu-m.ac.jp
Sotozono
C
C
Ikeda
T
T
Kinoshita
S
S
D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors
D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger