Recombinant Soluble Interleukin-11 (IL-11) Receptor
-Chain Can Act as an IL-11 Antagonist
David J. Curtis,
Douglas J. Hilton,
Bronwyn Roberts,
Leecia Murray,
Nicos Nicola, and
C. Glenn Begley
From the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, and The Co-operative Research Centre for Cellular Growth Factors, and Rotary Bone Marrow Research Laboratory, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
We have expressed a soluble N-glycosylated form of the murine interleukin-11 (IL-11) receptor
-chain (sIL-11R) and examined signaling in cells expressing the gp130 molecule. In the presence of gp130 but not the transmembrane IL-11R, the sIL-11R mediated IL-11-dependent differentiation of M1 leukemic cells and proliferation in Ba/F3 cells. Early intracellular events stimulated by the sIL-11R including phosphorylation of gp130, STAT 3, and SHP-2 were similar to signaling through the transmembrane IL-11R. IL-11 bound to sIL-11R with low affinity (kd 10 to 50 nmol/L). Binding of sIL-11R to gp130 was IL-11 dependent with intermediate affinity (kd 1.5 to 3.0 nmol/L). However, the concentration of IL-11 required for signaling through the sIL-11R was 10- to 20-fold greater than that required for cells expressing the transmembrane IL-11R and gp130 in the absence of sIL-11R. Furthermore, the sIL-11R was capable of antagonizing the activity of IL-11 when tested on cells expressing the transmembrane IL-11R and gp130. We propose that the observed IL-11 antagonism by the sIL-11R may depend on limiting numbers of gp130 molecules on cells already expressing the transmembrane IL-11R.
Blood, Vol. 90 No. 11 (December 1), 1997:
pp. 4403-4412
© 1997 by The American Society of Hematology.