Open AccessIL‐4 enhances IEC‐6 intestinal epithelial cell proliferation yet has no effect on IL‐6 secretion
Author(s) -
MCGEE D. W.,
VITKUS S. J. D.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2249.1996.d01-750.x
Subject(s) - secretion , immunology , cell growth , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , biochemistry
Intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) form an important line of defence at the intestinal mucosa by providing a barrier to lumenal contents and also by their ability to secrete various inflammatory cytokines. Recently, several T cell‐derived cytokines have been shown to regulate specific IEC functions. In this study, the effect of IL‐4 on IEC proliferation and secretion of the inflammatory cytokine IL‐6 was investigated using the non‐transformed rat IEC‐6 intestinal epithelial cell line. Recombinant rat (rr)IL‐4 was found to enhance IEC‐6 cell proliferation over 4 days of culture, and this enhancement was dose‐dependent. Further studies using specific antibodies confirmed that IL‐4 induced the effect and that the effect was not mediated by autocrine‐produced transforming growth factor‐alpha. However, IL‐4 did not induce IL‐6 secretion by the IEC‐6 cells, nor did it alter IL‐1β‐induced IL‐6 secretion. These results indicate that T cells may be capable of regulating IEC proliferation via the secretion of IL‐4 without altering the capacity of the IEC to function in the inflammatory response by secreting IL‐6.