Differential regulation of interleukin-6 receptor and gp130 gene expression in rat hepatocytes

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) relays an important signal to hepatocytes during the early stages of an acute inflammatory response, causing an alteration in the expression of several major defense proteins. Additional regulation of this signal could occur either by altering the number of IL-6 receptors (IL-6-R) or of the signal transducing protein, gp130. We employed ribonuclease protection assays to measure the expression of IL-6-R and gp130 mRNA in primary rat hepatocytes in response to IL-6, interleukin-1, dexamethasone, and combinations thereof. Dexamethasone increases receptor mRNA levels 2.7-fold above controls but has no detectable effect on that of gp130. Such treatment increased surface expression of IL-6-R from 600 receptors per cell to greater than 6000, without a change in Kd (2.5-4.6 x 10(-10) M). In contrast to the stimulatory effect of the steroid signal, the inflammatory cytokines, individually and together, down-modulated both the mRNA and the cell surface expression of IL-6-R. These findings demonstrate for the first time that a sensitive control system exists between inflammatory mediators and IL-6-R.