IL-11 has multiple effects on both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells. Many of the biological effects described for IL-11 overlap those for IL-6. In vitro, IL-11 can synergize with IL-3, IL-4 and SCF to shorten the G0 period of early hematopoietic progenitors. IL-11 also enhances the IL-3-dependent megakaryocyte colony formation. IL-11 has been found to stimulate the T cell dependent development of specific immunoglobulin-secreting B cell. IL-11, in the presence of IL-3 or SCF, has also been shown to stimulate erythropoiesis. Among nonhematopoietic cell populations, IL-11, like IL-6 and LIF, can stimulate the synthesis of hepatic acute-phase proteins. Consistent with the in vitro functions of IL‑11, in vivo administration of rhIL-11 in normal mice was found to enhance the generation of Ig producing cells and platelets, and to increase the cycling rates of bone marrow-derived CFU-GM, BFU-E, and CFU-GEMM progenitors.
IL-11 exerts its biological activities through binding to a specific high-affinity receptor having an apparent molecular mass of 150 kDa. Although the IL-11 binding subunit of the receptor complex has not yet been cloned, evidence suggests that, similar to IL-6, leukemia inhibitory factor, oncostatin M, and ciliary neurotrophic factor, IL-11 utilizes the IL-6 signal transducer, gp130, for signal transduction.
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