In vitro reconstitution of recognition and activation complexes between interleukin-6 and gp130.

Gp130 is a shared signal-transducing receptor for a family of four-helix cytokines, of which interleukin-6 is a prototypic member. IL-6-type cytokines activate gp130 to elicit downstream intracellular JAK/STAT signaling cascades through formation of hetero-oligomeric receptor complexes. Interleukin-6 must first complex with its specific alpha-receptor (Ralpha) in order to bind and activate gp130. We have dissected the extracellular activation pathway of human gp130 by human IL-6 through reconstitution of soluble complexes representing intermediate and final states in the hierarchical assembly of the IL-6/IL-6Ralpha/gp130 signaling complex. To isolate these hetero-complexes, we have applied a protein engineering strategy of covalently linking IL-6 to its Ralpha, which results in a "hyperactive" single-chain complex (hyper-IL-6) which we express in both Escherichia coli and insect cells. We have determined that IL-6/IL-Ralpha and the cytokine-binding homology region (CHR) of gp130 (D2D3) form a stable trimolecular "recognition" complex (trimer) consisting of 1IL-6,1 IL-6Ralpha, and 1 gp130-CHR. Addition of the N-terminal (D1) Ig-like domain (IGD) of gp130 to the CHR results in a transition to a hexameric "activation" complex containing 2 IL-6, 2IL-6Ralpha, and 2 gp130. These results clearly demonstrate that the recognition and activation complexes are disparate hetero-oligomeric molecular species linked by the recruitment of the gp130 IGD by the unique site III epitope present on all gp130-class cytokines. The results of these studies are relevant to other members of the IL-6 family of gp130-cytokines and address a longstanding question concerning the respective roles of the gp130 CHR and IGD in assembly of the active signaling oligomer.     

Normal platelets possess the soluble form of IL-6 receptor

Interleukin 6 is a multifunctional cytokine that exerts its biological activity through binding to an 80 Kd specific receptor (IL-6Ralpha) and a 130 Kd signal-transducing unit (gp130). A 55 Kd soluble IL-6R (IL-6sR) has also been described which, after binding to IL-6 is also able to activate gp130. The presence of IL-6Ralpha was described in some megakaryoblastic cell lines but is still controversial in normal megakaryocytes. In this study we demonstrate the presence of intraplatelet IL-6sR by Western blot through the appearance of a 55 Kd protein and the finding of detectable amounts of IL-6sR in the platelet content by ELISA technique. Besides, we showed IL-6sR release during platelet activation induced by thrombin and a complex of ADP and epinephrine. IL-6Ralpha on platelet membrane could not be found neither by Western blot nor by flow cytometry. The IL-6sR released during platelet activation and complexed to IL-6 could act on cell types such as endothelial cells that do not possess IL-6Ralpha through binding to gp130.Besides, since we could not find IL-6R on platelet membrane, the potentiating effect of IL-6 on platelet function could be explained through binding of IL-6sR/IL-6 complex to platelet membrane gp130.     

Reversal of some viral IL-6 electrostatic properties compared to IL-6 contributes to a loss of alpha receptor component recruitment

Human interleukin-6 (hIL-6) is a pleiotropic mediator of activation and proliferation across a large number of different cell types. Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) has been associated with classical and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). HHV-8 encodes viral IL-6 (vIL-6), a functional homolog of human interleukin-6, that promotes the growth of KS and of some lymphoma cells. Signaling induced by human IL-6 requires recruitment of the glycoprotein gp130, which acts as the signal transducing chain, and of IL-6Ralpha, which is necessary for cognate recognition and high affinity receptor complex formation. In contrast, the formation of a functional complex between vIL-6 and gp130 does not require the presence of IL-6Ralpha. The physico-chemical properties of vIL-6 have been analyzed and compared to those of hIL-6 and of the receptor chains, gp130 and IL-6Ralpha. Interaction sites on vIL-6 involve more hydrophobic residues than those of hIL-6. The electrostatic fields induced by vIL-6 and IL-6Ralpha are repulsive and prevent interaction between vIL-6 and IL-6Ralpha, whereas the electrostatic field induced by hIL-6 steers the complex formation with IL-6Ralpha. Subsequently, electrostatic binding free energy in the vIL-6/IL-6Ralpha complex is destabilizing, whereas it is stabilizing in the complex comprising hIL-6. These properties result from charge reversals between viral and human IL-6, an unusual phenomenon of amino acid substitutions within a homologous protein family. This suggests a selection pressure for vIL-6 to by-pass the IL-6Ralpha control of host defense against virus infection. This selection pressure has yielded the reversal of electrostatic properties of vIL-6 when compared to hIL-6.     

Molecular mechanisms for viral mimicry of a human cytokine: activation of gp130 by HHV-8 interleukin-6

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV, or HHV-8) encodes a pathogenic viral homologue of human interleukin-6 (IL-6). In contrast to human IL-6 (hIL-6), viral IL-6 (vIL-6) binds directly to, and activates, the shared human cytokine signaling receptor gp130 without the requirement for pre-complexation to a specific alpha-receptor. Here, we dissect the biochemical and functional basis of vIL-6 mimicry of hIL-6. We find that, in addition to the "alpha-receptor-independent" tetrameric vIL-6/gp130 complex, the viral cytokine can engage the human alpha-receptor (IL-6Ralpha) to form a hexameric vIL-6/IL-6Ralpha/gp130 complex with enhanced signaling potency. In contrast to the assembly sequence of the hIL-6 hexamer, the preformed vIL-6/gp130 tetramer can be decorated with IL-6Ralpha, post facto, in a "vIL-6-dependent" fashion. A detailed comparison of the viral and human cytokine/gp130 interfaces indicates that vIL-6 has evolved a unique molecular strategy to interact with gp130, as revealed by an almost entirely divergent structural makeup of its receptor binding sites. Viral IL-6 appears to utilize an elegant combination of both convergent, and unexpectedly divergent, molecular strategies to oligomerize gp130 and activate similar downstream signaling cascades as its human counterpart.     

A fusion protein of the gp130 and interleukin-6Ralpha ligand-binding domains acts as a potent interleukin-6 inhibitor

Interleukin (IL)-6 is involved in the maintenance and progression of several diseases such as multiple myeloma, rheumatoid arthritis, or osteoporosis. The present work aims at the development of an IL-6 inhibitor for the use in anti-cytokine therapies. The IL-6 receptor is composed of two different subunits, an alpha-subunit (IL-6Ralpha) that binds IL-6 with low affinity and a beta-subunit (gp130) that binds the IL-6.IL-6Ralpha complex with high affinity and as a result triggers intracellular signaling. In its soluble form, gp130 is a natural antagonist that neutralizes IL-6.soluble IL-6Ralpha complexes. It was our strategy to appropriately fuse the two receptor subunit fragments involved in IL-6 receptor complex formation to bind IL-6 with high affinity and to antagonize its effects. The ligand-binding domains of gp130 (D1-D2-D3) and IL-6Ralpha (D2-D3) were connected using three different linkers. The resulting constructs were expressed in stably transfected insect cells and tested for their ability to inhibit IL-6 activity in several in vitro systems. All fusion proteins were strong inhibitors of IL-6 signaling and abrogated IL-6-induced phosphorylation of STAT3, proliferation of transfected Ba/F3 cells, and induction of acute-phase protein synthesis. As intended, the fused receptors were much more effective than the separately expressed soluble receptor proteins. The fusion protein strategy presented here can also be applied to other cytokines that signal via receptors composed of two different subunits to design new potent inhibitors for anti-cytokine therapies.     

Engineering human interleukin-6 to obtain variants with strongly enhanced bioactivity.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) triggers the formation of a high affinity receptor complex with the ligand binding subunit IL-6Ralpha and the signal transducing chain gp130. Since the intracytoplasmic region of the IL-6Ralpha does not contribute to signaling, soluble forms of the extracytoplasmic domain (sIL-6Ralpha), potentiate IL-6 bioactivity and induce a cytokine-responsive status in cells expressing gp130 only. This observation, together with the detection of high levels of circulating soluble human IL-6Ralpha (shIL-6Ralpha) in sera, suggests that the hIL-6-shIL-6Ralpha complex is an alternative form of the cytokine. Here we describe the generation of human IL-6 (hIL-6) variants with strongly enhanced shIL-6Ralpha binding activity and bioactivity. Homology modeling and site-directed mutagenesis of hIL-6 suggested that the binding interface for hIL-6Ralpha is constituted by the C-terminal portion of the D-helix and residues contained in the AB loop. Four libraries of hIL-6 mutants were generated by each time fully randomizing four different amino acids in the predicted AB loop. These libraries were displayed monovalently on filamentous phage surface and sorted separately for binding to immobilized shIL-6Ralpha. Mutants were selected which, when expressed as soluble proteins, showed a 10- to 40-fold improvement in shIL-6Ralpha binding; a further increase (up to 70-fold) was achieved by combining variants isolated from different libraries. Interestingly, high affinity hIL-6 variants show strongly enhanced bioactivity on cells expressing gp13O in the presence of shIL-6Ralpha at concentrations similar to those normally found in human sera.     

Regulation of IL-6 receptor and gp130 expression on human cell lines of lymphoid and myeloid origin.

The expression of 80 kDa interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) and the associated molecule gp130 has been studied on human cell lines by FACS- and Northern blot analysis. The effects of dexamethasone, dibutyric-(DB)-cAMP and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (TPA) have been studied on plasmacytoma cell line U266, B cell line BMNH and monocytoid cell line U937. Our data show a definite downregulation of IL-6R and gp130 expression by TPA in U266 and BMNH at both mRNA and cell surface protein levels. In U937 TPA inhibits only the IL-6R expression, without affecting that of gp130. DB-cAMP decreases the expression of both proteins in U937, slightly inhibits the IL-6R expression in U266, but is uneffective in BMNH. Dexamethasone induces considerable upregulation of gp130 only in U266. Our findings suggest separate regulation of IL-6R and gp130 on U266, BMNH and U937 cell lines.     

Definition of receptor binding sites on human interleukin-11 by molecular modeling-guided mutagenesis.

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) belongs to the interleukin-6 (IL-6)-type subfamily of long-chain helical cytokines including IL-6, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), oncostatin M, and cardiotrophin-1, which all share the glycoprotein gp130 as a signal transducing receptor component. IL-11 acts on cells expressing gp130 and the IL-11 receptor (IL-11R) alpha-subunit (IL-11Ralpha). The structural epitopes of IL-11 required for the recruitment of the individual receptor subunits have not yet been defined. Based on the structure of CNTF, a three-dimensional model of human IL-11 was built. Using this model, 10 surface exposed amino acid residues of IL-11 were selected for mutagenesis using analogies to the well-characterized receptor recruitment sites of IL-6, CNTF, and LIF. The respective mutants of human IL-11 were expressed as soluble fusion proteins in bacteria. Their biological activities were determined on HepG2 and Ba/F3-130-11alpha cells. Several mutants with substantially decreased bioactivity and one hyperagonistic mutant were identified and further analyzed with regard to recruitment of IL-11Ralpha and gp130. The low-activity mutant I171D still binds IL-11Ralpha but fails to recruit gp130, whereas the hyperagonistic variant R135E more efficiently engages the IL-11R subunits. The low-activity mutants R190E and L194D failed to bind to IL-11Ralpha. These findings reveal a common mechanism of receptor recruitment in the family of IL-6-type cytokines and offer considerable perspectives for the rational design of IL-11 antagonists and hyperagonists.     

Signal transduction by human herpesvirus 8 viral interleukin-6 (vIL-6) is modulated by the nonsignaling gp80 subunit of the IL-6 receptor complex and is distinct from signaling induced by human IL-6

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) viral interleukin-6 (vIL-6) mediates signaling through the gp130 signal transducer but unlike human IL-6 (hIL-6) does not require the nonsignaling gp80 alpha subunit of the IL-6 receptor complex. By utilizing a gp80-refractory vIL-6 variant, vIL-6(R189L), we found that signal transduction, as measured by STAT1 and STAT3 activation and gp130 tyrosine phosphorylation in gp80+/gp130+ HEK293T cells, was modulated by gp80. Furthermore, the signaling and BAF-130 cell growth-promoting activities of vIL-6 and hIL-6 could be distinguished, and exogenous addition of soluble gp80 enhanced cell growth supported by vIL-6. Our findings demonstrate that gp80 can modulate vIL-6 activity and that vIL-6 and hIL-6 signaling are not directly equivalent.     

Signaling conformations of the tall cytokine receptor gp130 when in complex with IL-6 and IL-6 receptor

gp130 is a shared cytokine signaling receptor and the founding member of the 'tall' class of cytokine receptors. A crystal structure of the ligand-binding domains of gp130 in complex with human interleukin-6 (IL-6) and its a-receptor (IL-6Ralpha) revealed a hexameric architecture in which the gp130 membrane-distal regions were approximately 100 A apart, in contrast to the close apposition seen between short cytokine receptor complexes. Here we used single-particle EM to visualize the entire extracellular hexameric IL-6-IL-6Ralpha-gp130 complex, containing all six gp130 domains. The structure reveals that gp130 is bent such that the membrane-proximal domains of gp130 are close together at the cell surface, enabling activation of intracellular signaling. Variation in the receptor bend angles suggests a possible conformational transition from open to closed states upon ligand binding; this transition is probably representative of the other tall cytokine receptors.     

Up-regulation of the interleukin-6-signal transducing protein (gp130) by interleukin-6 and dexamethasone in HepG2 cells.

The hepatic IL-6-receptor is composed of an 80 kDa IL-6-binding protein and a 130 kDa polypeptide (gp130) believed to be involved in signal transduction. Previous experiments have shown that the 80 kDa IL-6-receptor is up-regulated by glucocorticoids, but not by IL-6. Here we demonstrate that IL-6 together with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone induces the expression of mRNA for gp130 approximately 5-fold in HepG2 cells. The induction was dose- and time-dependent. Dexamethasone alone, interferon-gamma, IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta had no effect. A possible role for the regulation of the IL-6-signal transducing protein gp130 in various inflammatory states is proposed.     

Gene expression of receptors for IL-6, LIF, and CNTF in regenerating skeletal muscles.

The biological actions of interleukin-6 (IL-6), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) are mediated via respective functional receptor complexes consisting of a common signal-transducing component, gp130, and other specific receptor components, IL-6 receptor alpha (IL-6R), LIF receptor beta (LIFR), and CNTF receptor alpha (CNTFR). IL-6, LIF, and CNTF are implicated in skeletal muscle regeneration. However, the cell populations that express these receptor components in regenerating muscles are unknown. Using in situ hybridization histochemistry, we examined spatiotemporal expression patterns of gp130, IL-6R, LIFR, and CNTFR mRNAs in regenerating muscles after muscle contusion. At the early stages of regeneration (from 3 hr to Day 2 post contusion), significant signals for gp130 and LIFR mRNAs were detected in myonuclei and/or nuclei of muscle precursor cells (mpcs) and in mononuclear cells located in extracellular spaces between myofibers after muscle contusion, but IL-6R mRNA was expressed only in mononuclear cells. At Day 7 post contusion, signals for gp130, LIFR, and IL-6R mRNAs were not detected in newly formed myotubes, whereas the CNTFR mRNA level was upregulated in myotubes. These findings suggest that the upregulation of receptor subunits in distinct cell populations plays an important role in the effective regeneration of both myofibers and motor neurons. (J Histochem Cytochem 48:1203-1213, 2000)     

Effect of IL-6 trans-signaling on the pro-remodeling phenotype of airway smooth muscle

Increased levels of IL-6 are documented in asthma, but its contribution to the pathology is unknown. Asthma is characterized by airway wall thickening due to increased extracellular matrix deposition, inflammation, angiogenesis, and airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass. IL-6 binds to a specific membrane-bound receptor, IL-6 receptor-alpha (mIL-6Ralpha), and subsequently to the signaling protein gp130. Alternatively, IL-6 can bind to soluble IL-6 recpetor-alpha (sIL-6Ralpha) to stimulate membrane receptor-deficient cells, a process called trans-signaling. We discovered that primary human ASM cells do not express mIL-6Ralpha and, therefore, investigated the effect of IL-6 trans-signaling on the pro-remodeling phenotype of ASM. ASM required sIL-6Ralpha to activate signal transducer and activator 3, with no differences observed between cells from asthmatic subjects compared with controls. Further analysis revealed that IL-6 alone or with sIL-6Ralpha did not induce release of matrix-stimulating factors (including connective tissue growth factor, fibronectin, or integrins) and had no effect on mast cell adhesion to ASM or ASM proliferation. However, in the presence of sIL-6Ralpha, IL-6 increased eotaxin and VEGF release and may thereby contribute to local inflammation and vessel expansion in airway walls of asthmatic subjects. As levels of sIL-6Ralpha are increased in asthma, this demonstration of IL-6 trans-signaling in ASM has relevance to the development of airway remodeling.     

Structural requirements for gp80 independence of human herpesvirus 8 interleukin-6 (vIL-6) and evidence for gp80 stabilization of gp130 signaling complexes induced by vIL-6

Human herpesvirus 8 interleukin-6 (vIL-6) displays 25% amino acid identity with human IL-6 (hIL-6) and shares an overall four-helix-bundle structure and gp130-mediated STAT/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling with its cellular counterpart. However, vIL-6 is distinct in that it can signal through gp130 alone, in the absence of the nonsignaling gp80 alpha-subunit of the IL-6 receptor. To investigate the structural requirements for gp80 independence of vIL-6, a series of expression vectors encoding vIL-6/hIL-6 chimeric and site-mutated IL-6 proteins was generated. The replacement of hIL-6 residues with three vIL-6-specific tryptophans implicated in gp80 independence from crystallographic studies or the A and C helices containing these residues did not confer gp80 independence to hIL-6. The N- and C-terminal regions of vIL-6 could be substituted with hIL-6 sequences with the retention of gp80-independent signaling, but substitutions of other regions of vIL-6 (helix A, A/B loop, helix B, helix C, and proximal half of helix D) with equivalent sequences of hIL-6 abolished gp80 independence. Interestingly, the B helix of vIL-6 was absolutely required for gp80 independence, despite the fact that this region contains no receptor-binding residues. Point mutational analysis of helix C, which contains residues involved in physical and functional interactions with gp130 domains 2 and 3 (cytokine-binding homology region), identified a variant, VI120EE, that was able to signal and dimerize gp130 only in the presence of gp80. gp80 was also found to stabilize gp130:g130 dimers induced by a distal D helix variant of vIL-6 that was nonetheless able to signal independently of gp80. Together, our data reveal the crucial importance of overall vIL-6 structure and conformation for gp80-independent signaling and provide functional and physical evidence of the stabilization of vIL-6-induced gp130 signaling complexes by gp80.     

The IL-6-soluble IL-6Ralpha autocrine loop of endothelial activation as an intermediate between acute and chronic inflammation: an experimental model involving thrombin.

Thrombin is a procoagulant and proinflammatory molecule in vivo. In vitro, thrombin has been shown to induce endothelial activation, notably IL-8 secretion and adhesion molecule expression. In this study, we showed that thrombin may induce a new cascade leading from acute to chronic inflammation. Thrombin was able to induce the production of both IL-6 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) by HUVEC independently of IL-1alphabeta and TNF-alpha. Addition of physiological concentrations of exogenous soluble IL-6Ralpha (sIL-6Ralpha) to thrombin-activated HUVEC was sufficient to increase the amounts of MCP-1 produced, but not those of IL-8. These effects could be blocked by anti-IL-6 or anti-sIL-6Ralpha blocking mAb, demonstrating the existence of an autocrine loop of MCP-1 secretion, involving the IL-6/IL-6Ralpha/gp130 complex on HUVEC. In addition, we identified IL-8-activated neutrophils as a potential source of sIL-6Ralpha because IL-8 induced IL-6Ralpha shedding from the neutrophil membranes and increased in parallel sIL-6Ralpha concentrations in neutrophil supernatants. Furthermore, addition of neutrophils to thrombin-activated HUVEC significantly increased MCP-1 secretion, which could be decreased by blocking IL-6. Thus, thrombin-activated endothelium may induce a cascade of events characterized by IL-8 secretion, neutrophil local infiltration, and the release of IL-6Ralpha from neutrophil membranes. sIL-6Ralpha may then complex with IL-6 and increase the amount of MCP-1 produced by thrombin-activated endothelium, favoring monocyte infiltration, and the transformation of acute into chronic inflammation.     

Interleukin-6 receptor signaling. II. Bio-availability of interleukin-6 in serum.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is used as a growth factor by various tumor cells. It binds to a gp80 specific receptor (IL-6R) and then to a gp130 transducing chain. Both receptor chains are released as soluble functional proteins which circulate in biological fluids. With a view to studying the physiological role of these soluble receptors, both proteins were purified from human plasma. Surface plasmon resonance was used to measure the kinetic constants of equilibria between IL-6 and natural sIL-6R, and between the IL-6/sIL-6R complex and soluble gp130. Kd values were found to be 0. 9 and 2.3 nM respectively. Soluble natural IL-6R and gp130 were also found to interact with a Kd of 2.8 nM in the absence of IL-6. By using these Kd values, a mathematical simulation predicted that 1) within a large range of IL-6, sIL-6R and sgp130 concentrations, free IL-6 represents 30% of the total circulating cytokine, 2) sIL-6R overconcentrations lead to dramatic changes of the concentration of free IL-6, 3) increased concentrations of sgp130 should produce an efficient buffering effect on the IL-6/sIL-6R complex without incidence on the level of free IL-6. According to this model, the IL-6/sIL-6R complex appears to be an important support of IL-6 signaling in the most commonly encountered in vivo situations. The concentration of this complex is directly under the control of the concentration of sIL-6R; its bio-availability should be efficiently buffered by increased sgp130 concentrations.     

CCAAT enhancer-binding protein alpha is required for interleukin-6 receptor alpha signaling in newborn hepatocytes

The acute phase response is an evolutionarily conserved response of the liver to inflammatory stimuli, which aids the body in host defense and homeostasis. We have previously reported that CCAAT enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) is required for the induction of acute phase protein (APP) genes in newborn mice in response to lipopolysaccharide. In this paper, we describe a mechanism by which C/EBPalpha knock-out mice are unable to induce APP gene expression in response to inflammatory stimuli. We demonstrate that the lack of acute phase response in C/EBPalpha knock-out mice is because of a hepatocyte autonomous defect. C/EBPalpha knock-out hepatocytes do not activate STAT3 in response to recombinant interleukin (IL)-6, indicating a defect in the IL-6 pathway. C/EBPalpha knock-out hepatocytes also do not show activation of other IL-6 receptor (IL-6R)-mediated Janus kinase substrates, gp130, SHP-2, and Tyk2. Further examination of the IL-6 pathway demonstrated that C/EBPalpha knock-out hepatocytes have decreased IL-6Ralpha protein levels caused, in part, by reduced protein stability. However, other components of the IL-6 pathway are intact, as demonstrated by rescue of STAT3 activation and APP gene induction with recombinant-soluble IL-6R linked to IL-6 cytokine (Hyper-IL-6) or with another gp130 signaling cytokine, Oncostatin M. In conclusion, C/EBPalpha is required for the proper regulation of IL-6Ralpha protein in hepatocytes resulting in a lack of acute phase protein gene induction in newborn C/EBPalpha null mice in response to lipopolysaccharide or cytokines.     

Termination of IL-6-induced STAT activation is independent of receptor internalization but requires de novo protein synthesis

The interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor complex comprises the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R, gp80) and the signal transducer gp130. Binding of IL-6 to its receptor results in dimerization of gp130, activation of the Jak/STAT pathway, and in a down-regulation of IL-6 binding sites by endocytosis. The STAT activation after stimulation is transient, being maximal after 15-30 min and disappearing after 60-90 min. The mechanism which leads to the termination of the signal is still unknown.In this paper we have studied whether the down-modulation of the STAT signal requires the endocytosis of the receptor complex. Our results suggest that the desensitization of the IL-6 signal is not due to internalization of the receptor complex but requires de novo protein synthesis.