Publications

Murine interleukin 1 (IL 1) inhibited concentration dependently the proliferation of murine T cell lymphomas and the human leukemic cell line K 562. The cytostatic action of IL 1 was not associated with cytotoxicity and appeared to be irreversible. Changes in the expression of surface antigens, like a rapid decrease of transferrin receptors or, more delayed, an increase in HLA-A, B, C antigen density suggested that a differentiation step was induced by IL 1. This effect of IL 1 was a direct one and most likely mediated by a specific receptor molecule. In order to characterize the receptor for IL 1, highly purified plasma membranes from K 562 were incubated with murine IL 1, and the phosphorylation pattern of plasma membrane proteins was investigated by the addition of radiolabeled ATP. At 0 degree C, IL 1 induced the specific phosphorylation of a 41 kDa membrane protein in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Analysis of the phosphoamino acid composition revealed that IL 1 induced specifically the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues of the 41 kDa protein. Crosslinking experiments proved that the 41 kDa protein had an IL 1 binding site, strongly suggesting that the 41 kDa protein was the receptor for IL 1 itself. Affinity labeling with an ATP-analogue showed that this protein possessed an ATP binding and cleaving site. We conclude from this that the receptor for IL 1 in the plasma membranes of K 562 is a transmembranous protein of 41 kDa, which possesses a tyrosine specific protein kinase activity with an autophosphorylating capacity.

In this paper, we have attempted to provide an overview of the methods and findings of a large number of investigators who have dealt with an analysis of the glomerular inflammatory response using tissue culture techniques. These observations represent only a beginning. With the growing interest in this aspect of kidney disease, it is to anticipated that many further advancements in the understanding of the cell biology of the glomerulus are forthcoming. The translation of this fundamental information into new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities is an exciting challenge to investigative nephrology.

We have examined the ability of rat mesangial cells to regulate neutral proteinase production in vitro. Mesangial cells constitutively produced gelatinase when cultured in serum-free medium, and enzyme production by these cells was inhibited by cycloheximide. Coculture with thioglycollate-elicited rat peritoneal macrophages resulted in enhanced gelatinase production. The increase in enzyme released correlated directly with the number of macrophages added. Conditioned medium from LPS-activated peritoneal macrophages also enhanced gelatinase production in a dose-dependent manner. Fractionation of these macrophage supernatants on Sephacryl S-200 revealed a predominant fraction of gelatinase-enhancing activity in a m.w. range between 10,000 and 20,000. These data suggested that the enhanced mesangial cell gelatinase production was mediated through the action of interleukin 1. This was confirmed by the finding that purified interleukin 1, prepared from LPS-stimulated rat peritoneal macrophages, stimulated mesangial cells to secrete gelatinase in a dose-dependent manner. These findings may be of significance in the understanding of the pro-inflammatory role of macrophages in immune-mediated glomerulonephritis.