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Transcriptional and post‐transcriptional regulation of IL‐1 β , IL‐6 and TNF‐α genes in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Author(s) -
Rambaldi Alessandro,
Bettoni Stefania,
Rossi Vincenzo,
Tini MariaLaura,
Giudici Giovanni,
Rizzo Virginia,
Bassan Renato,
Mantovani Alberto,
Barbui Tiziano,
Biondi Andrea
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1993.tb08273.x
Subject(s) - cytokine , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , cycloheximide , tumor necrosis factor alpha , gene expression , transcription factor , transcription (linguistics) , messenger rna , gene , cancer research , immunology , protein biosynthesis , genetics , linguistics , philosophy
The present study was designed to define the mechanisms of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF‐α) gene regulation in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia of B cell origin (B‐CLL). By nuclear run‐on analysis, all B‐CLL cases displayed high levels of nuclear transcription of the IL‐6 and TNF‐α genes, whereas IL‐1β gene transcription was only barely detectable. Upon in vitro culture for 1 h, B‐CLL cells from different patients were substantially heterogeneous in terms of expression of steady state mRNA levels of IL‐1β, IL‐6 and TNF‐α even though the pattern of nuclear transcription of these cytokines was only marginally affected by in vitro culture. mRNA stability was then examined and cytokine gene transcripts showed a half life of more than 2 h in cultured B‐CLL cells and treatment with cycloheximide (CHX) did not affect cytokine transcript levels in B‐CLL cells. These results indicate that: steady state levels of each mRNA do not reflect the rate of nuclear transcription of these cytokines in fresh or cultured B‐CLL cells, that purification and in vitro culture of leukaemic cells may amplify cytokine gene expression in B‐CLL, and that cytokine gene transcripts are relatively stable in B‐CLL.