Melani C, Mattia G F, Silvani A, Carè A, Rivoltini L, Parmiani G, Colombo M P
Division of Experimental Oncology D, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milano, Italy.
Blood. 1993 May 15;81(10):2744-9.
Human peripheral blood granulocytes were analyzed for expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization. Neutrophil granulocytes from healthy donors were shown to express variable levels of IL-6. This expression was rapidly down-regulated after the removal of the cells from the circulating blood. In vitro culture of neutrophils abolished IL-6 expression, which could be reactivated by addition of GM-CSF to the culture medium. Constitutive expression of IL-6 was instead demonstrated in eosinophil granulocytes purified from normal donors and from a hypereosinophilic patient. In situ hybridization of unstimulated granulocytes confirmed that IL-6 expression occurs both in eosinophils and in neutrophils from peripheral blood. These findings show that granulocytes can actively contribute to cytokine expression in the peripheral blood and suggest their role in the afferent limb of the immune response, since by IL-6 production they might modulate T- and B-lymphocyte functions, granulocyte self-priming, and endothelial interaction.
利用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）和原位杂交技术，对人外周血粒细胞进行白细胞介素-6（IL-6）表达分析。结果显示，健康供体的中性粒细胞表达不同水平的IL-6。将细胞从循环血液中去除后，这种表达迅速下调。中性粒细胞的体外培养使IL-6表达消失，向培养基中添加粒细胞-巨噬细胞集落刺激因子（GM-CSF）可使其重新激活。相反，从正常供体和一名嗜酸性粒细胞增多症患者中纯化的嗜酸性粒细胞中证实存在IL-6的组成性表达。未刺激粒细胞的原位杂交证实，外周血嗜酸性粒细胞和中性粒细胞中均存在IL-6表达。这些发现表明，粒细胞可积极参与外周血中细胞因子的表达，并提示它们在免疫反应传入支中的作用，因为通过产生IL-6，它们可能调节T和B淋巴细胞功能、粒细胞自身启动以及与内皮细胞的相互作用。
