Structural analysis of the charge heterogeneity of human interleukin 1

Interleukin-1-independent activation of human T lymphocytes stimulated by anti-CD3 and a Hodgkin's disease cell line with accessory cell activity

Antibodies directed against the human T cell receptor or the closely associated CD3 molecule stimulate polyclonal T cell proliferation via mechanisms that mimic a primary immune response. We have investigated the requirement for IL-1 production in anti-CD3 (OKT3)-mediated mitogenesis using a Hodgkin's disease cell line (L428) as the accessory cell. L428 cells did not produce detectable IL-1 following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide or phorbol ester (PMA), nor did they transcribe detectable levels of mRNA for IL-1 alpha or beta after such treatment. Despite their inability to produce IL-1, as few as 1 X 10(4) L428 cells reconstituted the proliferative response of accessory cell-depleted T cells to anti-CD3. Although larger numbers of non-rosette-forming (E-) cells were required for maximal responsiveness to anti-CD3, the maximal degree of proliferation was higher with E- cells than with L428 cells. L428-mediated T cell proliferation did not result from residual accessory cells in the responding population or an allogeneic effect since L428 cells were also capable of providing accessory cell activity for the anti-CD3-dependent generation of IL-2 by the Jurkat T cell line. Although the mechanism by which L428 cells provide accessory functions remains incompletely characterized, the ability of anti-HLA-DR F(ab')2 fragments to completely abrogate L428 and monocyte-mediated anti-CD3 mitogenesis, despite the addition of exogenous IL-1, provides evidence for the participation HLA-DR molecules in this response. These data indicate that anti-CD3-induced proliferation of unprimed human T lymphocytes can occur independently of IL-1 production by accessory cells and may involve the participation of HLA-DR molecules.

The transcription of the interleukin 1 beta gene is induced with PMA and inhibited with dexamethasone in U937 cells

Interleukin 1 beta mRNA was induced with phorbol ester, not LPS, in the human histiocytic lymphoma cell line U937, but interleukin 1 alpha mRNA was not induced. Nuclear run-on analysis showed that phorbol ester induced the transcription of interleukin 1 beta but did not induce it in the presence of cycloheximide. This indicates that the induction of the transcription with PMA requires de novo protein synthesis. Dexamethasone, an immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory agent, decreased the level of interleukin 1 beta mRNA induced with phorbol ester. The transcriptional analysis showed that dexamethasone inhibits the transcription of the interleukin 1 beta gene.

cDNA cloning of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta from mRNA of U937 cell line

Clones of cDNAs encoding growth inhibitory factors for human melanoma cell line A375 were isolated from cDNA library prepared by using mRNA derived from human histiocytic lymphoma cell line U937 induced with PMA and further stimulated with LPS. Cloning was achieved using Okayama-Berg cDNA expression vector system that permits expression of the inserted cDNA segments in mammalian cells. By assaying the transfected COS-1 cells supernatants and cell extracts, we isolated two distinct cDNA clones encoding growth inhibitory factors. It was determined by the nucleotide sequences of the inserts, the cDNAs corresponded to IL-1 alpha and -1 beta. Our results indicate U937 cells can be induced to produce both interleukin-1s.

Purification to homogeneity and amino acid sequence analysis of two anionic species of human interleukin 1

Two anionic species of human IL-1 have been purified to homogeneity. These molecules were characterized as having pI of 5.4 and 5.2 and molecular weights identical to IL-1/6.8 (17,500). The specific activities of IL-1/5.4 and IL-1/5.2, as measured in the mouse thymocyte co-mitogenic assay, were identical to that of IL-1/6.8, namely 1.2 X 10(7) U/mg, with half-maximal stimulation observed at 2 X 10(-11) M. IL-1/5.4 and IL-1/5.2 were found to be antigenically distinct from IL-1/6.8 in an ELISA. IL-1/5.4 was structurally distinct from IL-1/6.8 based on reverse-phase HPLC or CNBr peptides. Intact IL-1/5.2 and three intact CNBr peptides of IL-1/5.4 were sequenced, with the identification of 74 amino acid residues. These sequences were found to correspond exactly with the amino acid sequence deduced from the IL-1-alpha cDNA reported by March et al.

Presence of epidermal-derived thymocyte activating factor/interleukin 1 in normal human stratum corneum

Keratinocytes produce a molecule, epidermal-derived thymocyte activating factor (ETAF), which is biologically and physiochemically similar to the polypeptide hormone interleukin 1 (IL-1). Because the stratum corneum (SC) is composed of terminally differentiated keratinocytes, we questioned whether ETAF/IL-1 could be isolated from this tissue. The extraction of normal human SC with a physiologic saline solution yielded a large amount of ETAF/IL-1 activity, as measured by the in vitro thymocyte co-stimulator assay. SC-derived ETAF/IL-1 (scETAF/IL-1) eluted from a sizing column with an approximate molecular weight of 15,000, and demonstrated three isoelectric point forms after separation on a chromatofocusing column. By these physiochemical characteristics, scETAF/IL-1 was found to be similar, if not identical to human keratinocyte- and macrophage-derived ETAF/IL-1. Further, a number of biologic effects known to occur in vivo after the administration of ETAF/IL-1, such as fever, neutrophilia, and an increase in plasma levels of acute-phase proteins, were all induced by the injection of scETAF/IL-1 into endotoxin-nonresponsive mice. scETAF/IL-1 was also found to stimulate collagenase production by human fibroblasts in vitro. In summary, our studies have established that normal human SC contains a large quantity of scETAF/IL-1. Whether scETAF/IL-1 integrates into the earliest afferents phases of local inflammatory responses, or merely represents a means of disposal of excessively produced hormone is currently unresolved.

B-cell-derived interleukin-1 (IL-1)-like factor. II. Sources, effects, and biochemical properties

A variety of types of human B-cell lines were evaluated for their ability to produce interleukin 1 (IL-1)-like factors. All of the eight Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B lymphocyte lines, three of four of the EBV+ lymphoma lines, only three of seven of the EBV- lymphoma lines, and none of the three tested myeloma lines secreted some IL-1 activity. The IL-1-like factor produced by the cell lines was detected on the basis of its thymocyte comitogenic and/or fibroblast proliferative activities. Injections of partially purified IL-1-like factor from one of the EBV-transformed B-lymphocyte lines also induced the appearance of an acute phase protein (haptoglobin) in the serum of C3H/HeJ mice. These biological activities are identical with those of monocyte-derived IL-1. Thymocyte comitogenic activity and fibroblast proliferation activity from one of the EBV-B cell line-derived IL-1-like activities were not dissociable by biochemical procedures, including HPLC gel filtration and HPLC anion-exchange chromatography. However, the IL-1-like factor from one of the EBV-B lymphocyte cell lines was larger in size (25 kDa) and more acidic (pI 5.5) than monocyte-derived IL-1.

An update on human interleukin-1: from molecular biology to clinical relevance

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) represents a family of polypeptides with a wide range of biological activities. At least two dissimilar gene products have been cloned; there are probably more. The human IL-1 family plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many diseases and functions as a key mediator of the host response to various infectious, inflammatory, and immunologic challenges. Recombinant mouse (pI 5) and recombinant human (pI 7) IL-1's are being used to confirm the multiple biological properties of IL-1's but considerable investigation is required before the specific activities (biological units per milligram of protein) are established for each human IL-1 form. Some IL-1 biological activities such as the induction of hepatic acute-phase protein synthesis have been demonstrated in invertebrates predating the evolution of lymphocytes. IL-1 is highly inflammatory and increases the concentration of metabolites of arachidonic acid, most notably prostaglandin E2, in brain, muscle, chondrocytes, and synovial fibroblasts. The synthesis of leukotrienes also is involved in the mechanism of its action on certain tissues. The cloning and expression of human IL-1 genes will expand our understanding of IL-1 in various diseases through improved detection systems and the use of cDNA probes; the development of IL-1 antagonists, as well as the use of IL-1 as an immunomodulator, is presently being considered.

Human interleukin 1 mediates cartilage matrix degradation

Human monocyte factors mediate cartilage matrix degradation by activation of the resident chondrocytes. In the present work, the cartilage matrix-degrading activity of partially purified human monocyte-derived interleukin 1 has been investigated. Human monocyte or blood mononuclear cell culture supernatants were sequentially purified by phenyl-Sepharose and gel filtration chromatography, or by gel filtration chromatography, isoelectric focusing, or chromatofocusing. Column fractions were simultaneously tested by the standard method that defines interleukin 1 activity--costimulation of mouse thymocyte proliferation--and for matrix macromolecule release from living bovine cartilage explants in organ culture. The two activities showed identical profiles in purification steps that would discriminate according to molecular size, hydrophobicity, and net charge. Moreover, the thermal denaturation profiles of the material purified by chromatofocusing could not distinguish between thymocyte proliferating and matrix degrading activities. These results suggest that interleukin 1 which is present in inflammatory synovial fluids may play an important role in the mediation of cartilage damage in chronic inflammatory arthritides.