Interleukin (IL)-6 is known to be an essential growth factor for myeloma cells, both in vitro and in vivo. In mice, IL-6 is required for development of B cell tumors upon infection with a retrovirus expressing the myc/raf oncogenes. In the present study, we used the pristane-oil-induced plasmacytoma model, which more closely mimics tumor transformation and progression in human multiple myeloma. Also using this system, we found that IL-6-deficient BALB/c mice are protected against tumor development. Although the pristane-induced inflammatory reaction was less pronounced in IL-6-deficient mice versus their wild-type littermates, both B cell differentiation and plasma cell formation took place, and even morphological evidence of plasma cell transformation was detected, albeit at a low frequency. However, in the absence of IL-6, there were never signs of uncontrolled proliferation of either normal B lymphocytes or tumor cells, suggesting that the role of IL-6 in murine plasmacytoma and possibly also in human multiple myeloma is to ensure abnormal survival and proliferation of previously transformed tumor cells and therefore tumor development and progression.
Defective development of pristane oil-induced plasmacytomas in Interleukin-6-deficient Balb/c mice.
POLI, Valeria
1997-01-01
Abstract
Interleukin (IL)-6 is known to be an essential growth factor for myeloma cells, both in vitro and in vivo. In mice, IL-6 is required for development of B cell tumors upon infection with a retrovirus expressing the myc/raf oncogenes. In the present study, we used the pristane-oil-induced plasmacytoma model, which more closely mimics tumor transformation and progression in human multiple myeloma. Also using this system, we found that IL-6-deficient BALB/c mice are protected against tumor development. Although the pristane-induced inflammatory reaction was less pronounced in IL-6-deficient mice versus their wild-type littermates, both B cell differentiation and plasma cell formation took place, and even morphological evidence of plasma cell transformation was detected, albeit at a low frequency. However, in the absence of IL-6, there were never signs of uncontrolled proliferation of either normal B lymphocytes or tumor cells, suggesting that the role of IL-6 in murine plasmacytoma and possibly also in human multiple myeloma is to ensure abnormal survival and proliferation of previously transformed tumor cells and therefore tumor development and progression.
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