Interleukin-6 and interleukin-6 receptor gene expression in pituitary tumors

Summary Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine which plays a role in the stimulation, inhibition, differentiation, and regulation of cell growth. IL-6 has been shown to act as an autocrine growth factor in several tumors, and is expressed by a variety of tumors. IL-6 also exhibits a regulatory role in the hypothalamopituitary axis. It is produced by both the hypothalamus and the pituitary, and it induces the secretion of anterior pituitary hormones. Because of the regulatory role of IL-6 in tumor growth and its involvement in the pituitary, we decided to evaluate IL-6 and IL-6 receptor expression in pituitary tumors. For this purpose we utilized complimentary cDNA probes specific for the IL-6 and IL-6 receptor mRNA, as well as monoclonal anti-IL-6 antibodies for immunohistochemical analysis.Our results show that the IL-6 gene is expressed in the normal pituitary tissue. However, the non-functioning and functioning pituitary tumors such as the prolactin and growth hormone secreting tumors express increased levels of the IL-6 gene. The IL-6 receptor gene was only expressed in the prolactin secreting and non-functioning pituitary tumors. These results show that the IL-6 and IL-6 receptor gene expression is enhanced in pituitary tumors, thus suggesting a possible role of IL-6 in the pathogenesis of these tumors.