The regulatory role of Hyper-IL-6 in the differentiation of myeloid and erythroid progenitors derived from human cord blood

This study was designed to investigate the regulatory role of soluble interleukin-6 receptor (sIL-6R) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) fusion protein (Hyper-IL-6) in the differentiation of human myeloid and erythroid progenitors by a serum-free liquid suspension culture system, using the human cord blood-derived CD34(+)CD38(-) cells as a target. We found that Hyper-IL-6 promoted the generation of CD15(+) granulocytic and CD14(+) monocytic cells and suppressed that of CD14(-)CD1a(+) dendritic cells from CD36(-)CD15(-)CD14(-)CD1a(-)IL-6R(+) myeloid progenitors. Conversely, CD34(+)CD38(-) cell-derived early erythroid progenitors were negative for IL-6R expression. Hyper-IL-6 potentiated the generation of CD36(+)glycophorinA(high) mature erythroid cells from the IL-6R(-) early erythroid progenitors. Our results indicate that Hyper-IL-6 augments the generation of CD15(+) granulocytic, CD14(+) monocytic and CD36(+)glycophorinA(high) cell and suppresses that of CD14(-)CD1a(+) dendritic cells.