[Expression of cytokine messenger RNA in human spleen]

The expression of the cytokine genes in human spleen was studied using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method capable of detecting low levels of mRNA. Total RNA was prepared from human spleen by acid guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform (AGPC) method. cDNA was synthesized by M-MLV RTase using oligo (dT)16 primer, and amplified using the oligonucleotide primers specific for IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, TNF-alpha, IFN-alpha, IFN-beta and IFN-gamma by PCR method. Although IL-1 beta, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma mRNA were detected in all the samples tested, IL-3 and IFN-beta mRNA was not detected at all. These results suggest that many kinds of cytokines may be produced constitutionally in human spleen, and its pattern of cytokine production was similar to that in mice.