Structural and functional studies on the human hepatic interleukin-6 receptor. Molecular cloning and overexpression in HepG2 cells.

cDNAs coding for the human hepatic interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6-R) have been isolated from a library made from poly(A) RNA of dexamethasone-treated human hepatoma cells (HepG2). We found the hepatic IL-6-R to be identical to the one expressed by leucocytes. A polyclonal antiserum was raised in rabbits against the IL-6-R protein expressed in Escherichia coli. Although the entire IL-6-R protein was used for immunization, only antibodies to the cytoplasmic domain of the IL-6-R were obtained. It is demonstrated by affinity cross-linking and subsequent immunoprecipitation with antibodies against the ligand as well as against the receptor that the cloned cDNA codes for the functional IL-6-R on HepG2 cells. When the hepatic IL-6-R cDNA was overexpressed in HepG2 cells, these cells became more sensitive to low concentrations of IL-6 with respect to the induction of gamma-fibrinogen mRNA.