Inhibitory effects of interleukin 6 on immunity. Possible implications in burn patients
D. H. Zhou, A. M. Munster and R. A. Winchurch
Baltimore Regional Burn Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Md.
Certain disease states are associated with abnormal increases in the
monokine interleukin 6. Increased levels of interleukin 6 have been
demonstrated in serum from patients with burns and are associated with
systemic increases in endotoxin levels. Using a murine in vitro
experimental model, we have studied the effects of interleukin 6 on various
measures of immunity. Our data indicate that levels equivalent to the
concentrations found in serum of burn victims inhibit T-cell proliferation.
The inhibitory effect is dose and time dependent, is specific for T cells,
is not due to impairment of interleukin 2 production or of interleukin 2
receptor expression, and is dependent on macrophages. These data suggest
that extraordinary increases in interleukin 6 levels may be related to
impaired T-cell responses and to an increased susceptibility to infection
in the patient with burns.
