Adenoviral-mediated gene transfer of interleukin-6 in rat lung enhances antiviral immunoglobulin A and G responses in distinct tissue compartments

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1999 May 10;258(2):332-5. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.1999.0644.

Abstract

The effect of IL-6 transgene expression following lung gene transfer on anti-adenovirus humoral responses of immunoglobulin (Ig) G and A both in the lung and peripheral blood was investigated. Lung infection by a control adenovirus caused an increased level of circulating anti-adenoviral IgG antibodies. However, the magnitude of this response was many times higher in the peripheral blood of rats receiving an adenovirus engineered to express IL-6 transgene. In comparison, much lower levels of anti-adenoviral IgG were detected in the bronchoalveolar fluids of rats receiving either virus. In contrast, there was no detectable level of anti-adenoviral IgA in the peripheral blood in any cases, yet significantly detectable levels of anti-adenoviral IgA were measured in the lung. The levels of this IgA were much higher in the lung of rats expressing IL-6 than in the lung of control animals (15 times higher by day 14). Our findings thus provide evidence that IL-6 plays a significant role in enhancing specific airways mucosal IgA and systemic IgG responses during local lung viral infection, and provide the rationale for using IL-6 locally at mucosa sites as an immune adjuvant for antiviral vaccination program.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / genetics*
  • Adenoviridae / immunology
  • Animals
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Immunoglobulin A / immunology*
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology*
  • Interleukin-6 / genetics*
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / metabolism*
  • Rats

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Interleukin-6