Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a critical factor in the regulation of stromal function and hematopoiesis. In vivo bromodeoxyuridine incorporation analysis indicates that the percentage of Lin ؊ Sca-1 ؉ hematopoietic progenitors undergoing DNA synthesis is diminished in IL-6-deficient (IL-6 ؊/؊ ) bone marrow (BM) compared with wild-type BM. Reduced proliferation of IL-6 ؊/؊ BM progenitors is also observed in IL-6 ؊/؊ long-term BM cultures, which show defective hematopoietic support as measured by production of total cells, granulocyte macrophage-colony-forming units (CFU-GMs), and erythroid burstforming units (BFU-Es). Seeding experiments of wild-type and IL-6 ؊/؊ BM cells on irradiated wild-type or IL-6-deficient stroma indicate that the hematopoietic defect can be attributed to the stromal and not to the hematopoietic component. In IL-6 ؊/؊ BM, stromal mesenchymal precursors, fibroblast CFUs (CFU-Fs), and stroma-initiating cells (SICs) are reduced to almost 50% of the wild-type BM value. Moreover, IL-6 ؊/؊ stromata show increased CD34 and CD49e expression and reduced expression of the membrane antigens vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), Sca-1, CD49f, and Thy1. These data strongly suggest that IL-6 is an in vivo growth factor for mesenchymal precursors, which are in part implicated in the reduced longevity of the long-term repopulating stem cell compartment of IL-6 ؊/؊ mice.
IntroductionInterleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine with a major role in inflammatory responses and is the primary inducer of acutephase proteins. 1 IL-6 also regulates the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells from several lineages at different maturation stages. 1 In synergy with IL-3, IL-6 stimulates proliferation of granulocyte-macrophage, megakaryocyte, and erythroid progenitors. [2][3][4][5] This cooperation has also been shown in several in vivo model systems designed to evaluate the effect of IL-6 on the stem cell compartment. 3,4,6 The specific contribution of IL-6 to homeostasis in the lymphohematopoietic system has been evaluated in the IL-6 Ϫ/Ϫ mouse model, which showed a clear reduction in the number of the earliest clonogenic precursors and in the function of long-term repopulating stem cells (LTRSCs). 7 IL-6 Ϫ/Ϫ mice show a decrease in absolute numbers of spleen colonyforming units (CFU-Ss) at day 12 and of pre-CFU-S hematopoietic progenitors, as well as a deficit in the LTRSC compartment. 7 In addition to the effects in early hematopoiesis, IL-6 Ϫ/Ϫ mice show defects in T-and B-cell function 8 and in acute-phase responses. 9 These results strongly suggest an important in vivo role for IL-6 in the survival and self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and early progenitors.IL-6 is produced by a variety of cells including T and B cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, bone marrow stromal cells, and mesenchymal cells. [10][11][12] The adherent stromal cell layer in long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMCs) is necessary for balanced proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors. 13 ...