<p>This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.</p> <p>Cytokine receptors from the IL-6 receptor family are comprised of ligand specific α chains and a common signalling chain, gp-130, which is also required for high affinity binding. A cDNA library generated from the β-TC3 SV40 T-antigen transformed insulinoma cell line was screened for members of this receptor family potentially relevant to both beta cell development and autoimmunity. Degenerate oligonucleotide primers to a consensus region of these receptors were used and the IL-11 receptor (α chain was identified. Despite confirmation of IL-11 receptor mRNA expression, iodinated bioactive IL-11 did not bind specifically to β-TC3 cells and gp-130-dependent cytokines did not elicit signalling events in beta cell lines. This was explained by absence of gp-130 protein or mRNA in the beta cell lines tested and in primary islets. We conclude from these resuits that the previously recognised effects of IL-6 family member cytokines on pancreatic islets must be indirect <italic>via</italic> other non-beta cells within the islet, rather than due to direct effects on beta cells themselves.</p>
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Int J Exp Diabetes Res. 2000; 1(4):239-248