title: IL-6 protects pancreatic islet beta cells from pro-inflammatory cytokines-induced cell death and functional impairment in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Protection of pancreatic islet beta cells from pro-inflammatory cytokines-induced cell death and functional impairment is a key issue in developing therapeutic interventions of type 1 diabetes mellitus including islet transplantation. The effects of IL-6 on the protection of beta cells in vitro and in vivo were examined. Freshly isolated islets or MIN6 beta cells, when pre-incubated with IL-6, showed significantly higher viabilities measured by MTT assay and FACS analysis of PI stained cells against pro-apoptotic signaling delivered by IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. Insulin secretory function was also significantly protected in static culture with glucose and KCl stimulation. In vivo assessment using marginal mass syngeneic islet transplantation in mouse model revealed IL-6 conferred significantly better blood glucose control and graft survival rate over 50 days. Conclusively, IL-6 protects pancreatic islets or beta-cells from inflammatory cytokines-induced cell death and functional impairment both in vitro and in vivo. This strategy could be exploited in the clinical setting to maintain functional islet mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 28 Yongon-Dong Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kyung-Mi
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Il-Hee
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Jin-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Jung-Sik
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woong-Yang
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Duck-Jong
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Song-Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Curie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Jae-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eung-Soo
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Chang-Yong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Gregory L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Szot
authors.forename: Kun-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Chung-Gyu
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C494812:Bcl2l1 protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D007371:Interferon-gamma