Expression of Interleukin 6 and Its Receptor in Human Gastric and Colorectal Cancers

Author: Matsuo K   Oka M   Murase K   Soda H   Isomoto H   Takeshima F   Mizuta Y   Murata I   Kohno S  

Publisher: Field House Publishing

ISSN: 0300-0605

Source: The Journal of International Medical Research, Vol.31, Iss.2, 2003-03, pp. : 69-75

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Abstract

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine with many physiological functions. The present study was designed to determine the expression of IL-6 and its receptor (IL-6R) in human gastric and colorectal cancers. Nine gastric- and nine colorectal cancer cell lines were analysed. The IL-6 gene was expressed in two gastric cancer cell lines and one colorectal cancer cell line; however, most of the cancer cell lines studied expressed the IL-6R gene. The level of IL-6 secretion in the gastric cancer cell lines correlated with the level of soluble IL-6R secretion, and was significantly higher (< ∼100 pg/ml) than the level of IL-6 secretion in the colorectal cancer cell lines (< ∼50 pg/ml). These results suggest that IL-6 may act in a paracrine fashion rather than an autocrine fashion in these cell lines.

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