Secretion of Recombinant Proteins via the Chaperone/Usher Pathway in Escherichia coli

F1 antigen (Caf1) of Yersinia pestis is assembled via the Caf1M chaperone/Caf1A usher pathway. We investigated the ability of this assembly system to facilitate secretion of full-length heterologous proteins fused to the Caf1 subunit in Escherichia coli. Despite correct processing of a chimeric protein composed of a modified Caf1 signal peptide, mature human interleukin-1β (hIL-1β), and mature Caf1, the processed product (hIL-1β:Caf1) remained insoluble. Coexpression of this chimera with a functional Caf1M chaperone led to the accumulation of soluble hIL-1β:Caf1 in the periplasm. Soluble hIL-1β:Caf1 reacted with monoclonal antibodies directed against structural epitopes of hIL-1β. The results indicate that Caf1M-induced release of hIL-1β:Caf1 from the inner membrane promotes folding of the hIL-1β domain. Similar results were obtained with the fusion of Caf1 to hIL-1β receptor antagonist or to human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Following coexpression of the hIL-1β:Caf1 precursor with both the Caf1M chaperone and Caf1A outer membrane protein, hIL-1β:Caf1 could be detected on the cell surface of E. coli. These results demonstrate for the first time the potential application of the chaperone/usher secretion pathway in the transport of subunits with large heterogeneous N-terminal fusions. This represents a novel means for the delivery of correctly folded heterologous proteins to the periplasm and cell surface as either polymers or cleavable monomeric domains.     

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.     

Purification of receptor complexes of interleukin-10 stoichiometry and the importance of deglycosylation in their crystallization.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a pleiotropic immunosuppressive cytokine that has a wide range of effects in controlling inflammatory responses. Viral IL-10 (vIL-10) is a homologue of human IL-10 (hIL-10) produced by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Both hIL-10 and vIL-10 bind to the soluble extracellular fragment of the cytokine receptor IL-10R1 (shIL-10R1). The stoichiometry of the vIL-10 : shIL-10R1 complex has been found to be the same as hIL-10 : shIL-10R1, with two vIL-10 dimers binding to four shIL-10R1 monomers. Complexes of both hIL-10 and vIL-10 with glycosylated shIL-10R1 could not be crystallized. Controlled deglycosylation using peptide : N-glycosidase F and endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase F3 resulted in the formation of crystals of both hIL-10 : shIL-10R1 and vIL-10 : shIL-10R1 complexes, indicating that the difficulty in the crystal formation was largely due to the presence of complex carbohydrate side chains. The availability of the structure of the ligand-receptor complexes should facilitate our understanding of the basis of the interaction between IL-10 and the IL-10 receptor.     

Yaba monkey tumor virus encodes a functional inhibitor of interleukin-18

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a critical proinflammatory cytokine whose extracellular bioactivity is regulated by a cellular IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP). Many poxviruses have acquired variants of this IL-18BP gene, some of which have been shown to act as viral virulence factors. Yaba monkey tumor virus (YMTV) encodes a related family member, 14L, which is similar to the orthopoxvirus IL-18BPs. YMTV 14L was expressed from a baculovirus system and tested for its ability to bind and inhibit IL-18. We found that YMTV 14L bound both human IL-18 (hIL-18) and murine IL-18 with high affinity, at 4.1 nM and 6.5 nM, respectively. YMTV 14L was able to fully sequester hIL-18 but could only partially inhibit the biological activity of hIL-18 as measured by gamma interferon secretion from KG-1 cells. Additionally, 17 hIL-18 point mutants were tested by surface plasmon resonance for their ability to bind to YMTV 14L. Two clusters of hIL-18 surface residues were found to be important for the hIL-18-YMTV 14L interaction, in contrast to results for the Variola virus IL-18BP, which has been shown to primarily interact with a single cluster of three amino acids. The altered binding specificity of YMTV 14L most likely represents an adaptation resulting in increased fitness of the virus and affirms the plasticity of poxviral inhibitor domains that target cytokines like IL-18.     

Secretion of recombinant proteins via the chaperone/usher pathway in Escherichia coli

F1 antigen (Caf1) of Yersinia pestis is assembled via the Caf1M chaperone/Caf1A usher pathway. We investigated the ability of this assembly system to facilitate secretion of full-length heterologous proteins fused to the Caf1 subunit in Escherichia coli. Despite correct processing of a chimeric protein composed of a modified Caf1 signal peptide, mature human interleukin-1beta (hIL-1beta), and mature Caf1, the processed product (hIL-1beta:Caf1) remained insoluble. Coexpression of this chimera with a functional Caf1M chaperone led to the accumulation of soluble hIL-1beta:Caf1 in the periplasm. Soluble hIL-1beta:Caf1 reacted with monoclonal antibodies directed against structural epitopes of hIL-1beta. The results indicate that Caf1M-induced release of hIL-1beta:Caf1 from the inner membrane promotes folding of the hIL-1beta domain. Similar results were obtained with the fusion of Caf1 to hIL-1beta receptor antagonist or to human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Following coexpression of the hIL-1beta:Caf1 precursor with both the Caf1M chaperone and Caf1A outer membrane protein, hIL-1beta:Caf1 could be detected on the cell surface of E. coli. These results demonstrate for the first time the potential application of the chaperone/usher secretion pathway in the transport of subunits with large heterogeneous N-terminal fusions. This represents a novel means for the delivery of correctly folded heterologous proteins to the periplasm and cell surface as either polymers or cleavable monomeric domains.     

Stat6 is necessary and sufficient for IL-4's role in Th2 differentiation and cell expansion

IL-4 plays a critical role in the differentiation of TCR-stimulated naive CD4 T cells to the Th2 phenotype. In response to IL-4, the IL-4R activates a set of phosphotyrosine binding domain-containing proteins, including insulin receptor substrate 1/2, Shc, and IL-4R interacting protein, as well as Stat6. Stat6 has been shown to be required for Th2 differentiation. To determine the roles of the phosphotyrosine binding adaptors in Th2 differentiation, we prepared a retrovirus containing a mutant of the human (h)IL-4R alpha-chain, Y497F, which is unable to recruit these adaptors. The mutant hIL-4Ralpha, as well as the wild-type (WT) hIL-4Ralpha, was introduced into naive CD4 T cells. Upon hIL-4 stimulation, Y497F worked as well as the WT hIL-4Ralpha in driving Th2 differentiation, as measured by Gata3 up-regulation and IL-4 production. Furthermore, IL-4-driven cell expansion was also normal in the cells infected with Y497F, although cells infected with Y497F were not capable of phosphorylating insulin receptor substrate 2. These results suggest that the signal pathway mediated by Y497 is dispensable for both IL-4-driven Th2 differentiation and cell expansion. Both WT and Y497F hIL-4Ralpha lose the ability to drive Th2 differentiation and cell expansion in Stat6-knockout CD4 T cells. A constitutively activated form of Stat6 introduced into CD4 T cells resulted in both Th2 differentiation and enhanced cell expansion. Thus, activated Stat6 is necessary and sufficient to mediate both IL-4-driven Th2 differentiation and cell expansion in CD4 T cells.     

人白细胞介素11 cDNA的克隆、融合表达及活性测定

取人胎肺做原代培养细胞,ＰＭＡ诱导后,利用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ技术,扩增出去了Ｎ端信号肽序列的ＩＬ１１ｃＤＮＡ,经序列分析表明,该序列与文献报道序列高度同源,仅３个核苷酸有变化,氨基酸序列一致。将此ＩＬ－１１ｃＤＮＡ克隆人硫氧还蛋白基因融合表达载体ｐＴＲＸＦＵＳ的ｔｒｘＡ基因３‘末端,利用其３’端的蛋白肠激酶切点。构建符合读码框的融合基因。该融合蛋白在大肠杆菌中表达量法２０％以上。用ＩＬ－６依赖细胞株７Ｔ     

N-Glycosylation of secretion enhancer peptide as influencing factor for the secretion of target proteins from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

hIL-1beta-derived polypeptide, when fused to the N-terminal end of target proteins, exerts a potent secretion enhancer function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We investigated the effect of N-glycosylation of the secretion enhancer peptide on the secretion of target proteins. The N-terminal 24 amino acids (Ser5-Ala28) of human interleukin 1beta (hIL-1beta) and interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) were used as secretion enhancer for synthesizing recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) from S. cerevisiae. The mutation of potential N-glycosylation site, by substituting Gln for either Asn7 of N-terminal 24 amino acids of hIL-1beta (Asn7Gln) or Asn84 of IL-1ra (Asn84Gln), resulted in a dramatic reduction of rhG-CSF secretion efficiency. In contrast, the mutant containing an additional N-glycosylation site on the N-terminal 24 amino acids of hIL-1beta (Gln15Asn) secreted twice as much rhG-CSF into culture media as wild type hIL-1beta. These results show that N-glycosylation of the secretion enhancer peptide plays an important role in increasing the secretion efficiency of the downstream target proteins. The results also suggest that judicious choice of enhancer peptide and the control of its glycosylation could be of general utility for secretory production of heterologous proteins from S. cerevisiae.     

Identification of the dimerisation interface of human interleukin-8 by IL-8-variants containing the photoactivatable amino acid benzoyl-phenylalanine

The three-dimensional structure of human interleukin-8 (hIL-8) was determined by the use of NMR and X-ray methodology. At high concentrations interleukin-8 and many other chemokines form a non-covalent homodimer. Several studies have been performed to investigate the relevance of the dimer on receptor activation and led to contradictory results. In order to obtain a better understanding of the dimerisation process, covalently linked homo- and heterodimers were produced by photo-induced dimerisation of hIL-8 analogues that contain the photo-activatable amino acid p-benzoyl-phenylalanine (Bpa) at different positions. Whereas the N-terminal fragment (1–54) was expressed as recombinant thioester, the C-terminal fragments (55–77) that contain Bpa either at position 65 or 74 were obtained by solid-phase peptide synthesis. The segments were combined by expressed protein ligation and led to full length IL-8 variants containing the non-proteinogenic amino acid Bpa at single positions. IP₃ activity tests showed high biological activity for the CXCR1–GFP receptor for both variants comparable to that of the native ligand. The refolded and purified ligation-products were used for dimer formation by UV-irradiation. The analysis of the reaction mixture was performed by gel-electrophoresis and mass spectrometry and showed that dimer formation of IL-8 occurred in a position dependent manner. [Bpa⁷⁴]hIL-8 has a high tendency to form covalent dimers whereas no dimer formation was observed for the variant with Bpa at position 65. Accordingly one residue of the dimerisation interface could be identified. Dedicated to Prof. K Arnold on the occasion of his 65th birthday.     

Effect of DNA polymerase beta loop variants on discrimination of O6-methyldeoxyguanosine modification present in the nucleotide versus template substrate

We have examined the mechanism of DNA polymerase beta (pol beta) lesion discrimination using alkylated dNTP versus alkylated DNA template substrates and the pol beta variants R253M and E249K. Both of these amino acid variants are located in the loop region of the palm domain and are known to play a role in pol beta fidelity and discrimination of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine triphosphate substrates. We observed that these variants affect O(6)-methyldeoxyguanosine- (m6G-) modified dNTP discrimination without affecting m6G template translesion synthesis. Under steady-state conditions, the ratio of inherent reactivity values for the m6dGTP substrate relative to the dGTP substrate was greater for both variant polymerases than for wild-type (WT) pol beta. Biochemical assays of translesion synthesis using m6G lesion-containing templates demonstrated no significant differences between the variants and WT. Using N-methyl-N-nitrosourea- (MNU-) modified DNA templates in the HSV-tk in vitro assay, no difference among the enzymes in the frequency of alkylation-induced G to A transition mutations was observed. However, differences among the polymerases in the frequency of alkylation-induced C to A transversions were observed, consistent with a mutator tendency for E249K and an antimutator tendency for R253M. We conclude that a specific interaction at the loop of the palm domain is involved in pol beta discrimination of the m6G lesion when present on the incoming dNTP substrate but not when present in the DNA template. Our data support a role for the flexible loop in pol beta error discrimination.     

Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif of the IL-4 receptor associates with SH2-containing phosphatases and regulates IL-4-induced proliferation.

Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIM) have been implicated in the negative modulation of immunoreceptor signaling pathways. The IL-4R alpha-chain (IL-4Ralpha) contains a putative ITIM in the carboxyl terminal. To determine the role of ITIM in the IL-4 signaling pathway, we ablated the ITIM of IL-4Ralpha by deletion and site-directed mutagenesis and stably expressed the wild-type (WT) and mutant hIL-4Ralpha in 32D/insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2) cells. Strikingly, 32D/IRS-2 cells expressing mutant human (h)IL-4Ralpha were hyperproliferative in response to IL-4 compared with cells expressing WT hIL-4Ralpha. Enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat6, but not IRS-2, induced by hIL-4 was observed in cells expressing mutant Y713F. Using peptides corresponding to the ITIM of hIL-4Ralpha, we demonstrate that tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides, but not their nonphosphorylated counterparts, coprecipitate SH2-containing tyrosine phosphatase-1, SH2-containing tyrosine phosphatase-2, and SH2-containing inositol 5'-phosphatase. The in vivo association of SH2-containing inositol 5'-phosphatase with IL-4Ralpha was verified by coimmunoprecipitation with anti-IL-4Ralpha Abs. These results demonstrate a functional role for ITIM in the regulation of IL-4-induced proliferation.     

Potent inhibition of gastric acid secretion by intravenous interleukin-1 beta and -1 alpha in rats.

The influence of human and rat recombinant interleukin-1 (hIL-1 beta and -1 alpha and rIL-1 beta) on acid secretion was investigated in conscious pylorus-ligated rats. Intravenous injection of either hIL-1 beta, hIL-1 alpha or rIL-1 beta dose dependently inhibited gastric acid output with an ED50 of 0.05 microgram, 0.5 microgram and 2.2 micrograms, respectively. The antisecretory action of IL-1 beta was associated with an increase in circulating levels of gastrin. hIL-1 beta-induced inhibition of acid secretion was dose dependently reversed by peripheral injection of the IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-RA, with a dose ratio of 1:10(3) for complete reversal. The inhibitory effect of hIL-1 beta was blocked by indomethacin and was not modified by IV injections of the CRF receptor antagonist, alpha-helical CRF(9-41), or the monoclonal somatostatin antibody CURE.S6, or by systemic capsaicin pretreatment. These results show that systemic hIL-1 beta-induced inhibition of gastric acid secretion is mediated through IL-1 receptors and prostaglandin pathways, and does not involves CRF receptors, afferent fibers, or changes in circulating gastrin or somatostatin levels.     

Identification of regions within the third FnIII-like domain of the IL-5Ralpha involved in IL-5 interaction

Previously, two binding sites for interleukin 5 (IL-5) were identified on the IL-5 receptor alpha chain (IL-5Ralpha). They are located within the CD loop of the first fibronectin type III (FnIII)-like domain and the EF loop of the second FnIII-like domain. The first binding site was identified by exploiting the different abilities of human IL-5Ralpha (hIL-5Ralpha) and mouse IL-5Ralpha (mIL-5Ralpha) to bind hIL-5. Here we show that ovine IL-5 (oIL-5) has the ability to activate the hIL-5Ralpha but not the mIL-5Ralpha. By using chimeras of the mIL-5Ralpha and hIL-5Ralpha we demonstrate that residues within the first and third FnIII-like domains of mIL-5Ralpha are responsible for this lack of activity. Furthermore, mutation of residues on hIL-5Ralpha to mIL-5Ralpha within the predicted DE and FG loop regions of the third FnIII domain reduces oIL-5 activity. These results show that regions of the third FnIII domain of IL-5Ralpha are involved in binding, in addition to the regions in domains one and two of the IL-5Ralpha that were identified in an earlier study.     

Comparative model building of interleukin-7 using interleukin-4 as a template: a structural hypothesis that displays atypical surface chemistry in helix D important for receptor activation

Using a combination of theoretical sequence structure recognition predictions and experimental disulfide bond assignments, a three-dimensional (3D) model of human interleukin-7 (hIL-7) was constructed that predicts atypical surface chemistry in helix D that is important for receptor activation. A 3D model of hIL-7 was built using the X-ray crystal structure of interleukin-4 (IL-4) as a template (Walter MR et al., 1992, J Mol Biol. 224:1075-1085; Walter MR et al., 1992, J Biol Chem 267:20371-20376). Core secondary structures were constructed from sequences of hIL-7 predicted to form helices. The model was constructed by superimposing IL-7 helices onto the IL-4 template and connecting them together in an up-up down-down topology. The model was finished by incorporating the disulfide bond assignments (Cys3, Cys142), (Cys35, Cys130), and (Cys48, Cys93), which were determined by MALDI mass spectroscopy and site-directed mutagenesis (Cosenza L, Sweeney E, Murphy JR, 1997, J Biol Chem 272:32995-33000). Quality analysis of the hIL-7 model identified poor structural features in the carboxyl terminus that, when further studied using hydrophobic moment analysis, detected an atypical structural property in helix D, which contains Cys 130 and Cys142. This analysis demonstrated that helix D had a hydrophobic surface exposed to bulk solvent that accounted for the poor quality of the model, but was suggestive of a region in IL-7 that maybe important for protein interactions. Alanine (Ala) substitution scanning mutagenesis was performed to test if the predicted atypical surface chemistry of helix D in the hIL-7 model is important for receptor activation. This analysis resulted in the construction, purification, and characterization of four hIL-7 variants, hIL-7(K121A), hIL-7(L136A), hIL-7(K140A), and hIL-7(W143A), that displayed reduced or abrogated ability to stimulate a murine IL-7 dependent pre-B cell proliferation. The mutant hIL-7(W143A), which is biologically inactive and displaces [125I]-hIL-7, is the first reported IL-7R system antagonist.     

Internal deletions in human interleukin-6: structure-function analysis

By cDNA mutagenesis, we have constructed internal and C-terminal deletions (delta 21-51, delta 52-97, delta 97-104, delta 127-174, delta 97-184 and delta 134-184) in human interleukin-6 (hIL-6). All those deletion-carrying hIL-6 (delta hIL-6) proteins were then produced in Xenopus laevis oocytes and examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The results show that, at least in frog oocytes, the first potential N-glycosylation site (Asn45) is utilized exclusively. The IL-6 conformation of these deletion-carrying proteins has been studied by immunoprecipitation with two kinds of monoclonal antibodies (mAb's): mAb's that show preference towards denatured hIL-6, or conformation-specific mAb's. The binding pattern of these two series of mAb's indicated that the IL-6 conformation has been largely destroyed for four of our delta-proteins. Proteins delta 21-51 and delta 127-174 have kept a part of the IL-6 tertiary structure since they are still recognized by some conformation-specific mAb's. All of these delta hIL-6 proteins were inactive in the IL-6 hybridoma growth factor (HGF) assay and unable to inhibit the HGF activity of the recombinant human wild-type IL-6 (wt hIL-6). Moreover, the oocyte-synthesized delta hIL-6 (delta 21-51, delta 127-174, delta 97-184, delta 134-184) did not bind to the IL-6 receptor. Finally, we have produced two proteins with aa 29-33 or 97-104 substituted by corresponding murine IL-6 (mIL-6) sequences.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

人白细胞介素-11基因在家蚕培养细胞和虫体内的表达

将缺少编码信号肽序列的人白细胞介素－11（hIL-11)546核苷酸cDNA,重组于质粒pBacPAK8构建重组转移载体pBacIL-11,与经线性化修饰的家蚕核型多角体病毒（BmBacPAK)DNA共转染家蚕培养细胞株BmN,获得了插入hIL-11基因的重组病毒。Southern杂交表明重组病毒基因组中含有hIL-11基因片段,RNA斑点杂交表明hIL-11基因得到了转录。重组病毒感BmN细胞株、家蚕幼虫和蛹,在细胞培养上清、细胞抽提物、幼虫和蛹的体液样品中,SDS－PAGE电泳分析都能检测得到表达产物的特异性条带;采用IL－11依赖细胞株B9－11和MTT法测定表达产物的生物活性,表明rIL-11基因分别在培养细胞和蚕体内得到了高效表达。     

An Epstein-Barr virus that expresses only the first 231 LMP1 amino acids efficiently initiates primary B-lymphocyte growth transformation

An Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) recombinant (MS231) that expresses the first 231 amino acids (aa) of LMP1 and is truncated 155 aa before the carboxyl terminus transformed resting B lymphocytes into lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) only when the infected cells were grown on fibroblast feeder cells (K. M. Kaye et al., J. Virol. 69:675-683, 1995). Higher-titer MS231 virus has now been compared to wild-type (WT) EBV recombinants for the ability to cause resting primary B-lymphocyte transformation. Unexpectedly, MS231 is as potent as WT EBV recombinants in causing infected B lymphocytes to proliferate in culture for up to 5 weeks. When more than one transforming event is initiated in a microwell, the MS231 recombinant supports efficient long-term LCL outgrowth and fibroblast feeder cells are not required. However, with limited virus input, MS231-infected cells differed in their growth from WT virus-infected cells as early as 6 weeks after infection. In contrast to WT virus-infected cells, most MS231-infected cells could not be grown into long-term LCLs. Thus, the LMP1 amino-terminal 231 aa are sufficient for initial growth transformation but the carboxyl-terminal 155 aa are necessary for efficient long-term outgrowth. Despite the absence of the carboxyl-terminal 155 aa, MS231- and WT-transformed LCLs are similar in latent EBV gene expression, in ICAM-1 and CD23 expression, and in NF-kappaB and c-jun N-terminal kinase activation. MS231 recombinant-infected LCLs, however, require 16- to 64-fold higher cell density than WT-infected LCLs for regrowth after limiting dilution. These data indicate that the LMP1 carboxyl-terminal 155 aa are important for growth at lower cell density and appear to reduce dependence on paracrine growth factors.     

Efficient production of N-terminally truncated biologically active human interleukin-6 by Bacillus brevis

cDNAs encoding human interleukin 6 (hIL-6) and its variants lacking the N-terminal Pro and Pro-Val-Pro-Pro, respectively, were expressed in Bacillus brevis by using the signal peptide fusion approach. The presence of Pro at the N-terminus of the mature protein hindered the action of the Bacillus brevis signal peptidase. hIL-6 lacking the N-terminal Pro-Val-Pro-Pro was most efficiently secreted in a biologically active form and accumulated in the culture medium to a level of 200 mg per liter, which is the highest level reported for the bacterial secretion of hIL-6.     

Endogenous IL-11 is pro-inflammatory in acute methylated bovine serum albumin/interleukin-1-induced (mBSA/IL-1)arthritis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of interleukin-11 (IL-11) in acute mBSA/IL-1-induced inflammatory arthritis. METHODS: IL-11 was administered via intra-articular (IA) injection into knee joints of C57BL/6 mice and joint histology was assessed. The mitogenic response to IL-11 was measured in wild-type (WT) synovial fibroblasts. IL-1 was used as a comparator in both the studies. The severity of acute methylated bovine serum albumin (mBSA)/IL-1 arthritis was determined in WT and IL-11 receptor null (IL-11Ra1-/-) mice. In parallel experiments, a neutralising antibody to IL-11 was administered to WT mice throughout this model. RESULTS: IA injections of IL-11 resulted in mild-to-moderate joint inflammation which was less than that due to IA IL-1. IL-11 had a dose-dependent mitogenic effect on WT synovial fibroblasts (P<0.01). mBSA/IL-1 acute arthritis was reduced in IL-11Ra1-/- versus WT mice (histological arthritis score: 10.1+/-0.5 versus 12.8+/-0.7, respectively; P=0.01). Administration of an IL-11 neutralising antibody to WT mice reduced mBSA/IL-1 acute arthritis scores compared to control antibody (10.6+/-0.7 versus 13.3+/-0.6, respectively; P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that endogenous IL-11 exerts relatively mild but consistent pro-inflammatory effects in acute inflammatory arthritis.