Hyper-IL-6 (H-IL-6), a Fusion Protein of Soluble IL-6 Receptor (Sil-6R), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Acts Synergistic with Thrombopoietin (TPO) and Stem Cell Factor (SCF) in Expanding Megakaryocyte Progenitors from Human Cd34++/Cd90+ Cell

It has been shown that signalings from c-kit and gpl30, the signal-transducing receptor component of the IL6 receptor, act synergistic for the ex-vivo expansion of multipotential hematopoietic progenitors. A similar synergistic effect has been demonstrated for signalings from c-kit, c-mpl, and flt3. While c-kit is activated by stem cell factor (SCF), gpl30 can be activated by the complex of soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Recently, a bioactive designer cytokine, H-IL-6, a fusion protein consisting of SIL-6R and IL-6 linked by a flexible peptide chain has been shown to expand human hematopoietic colony-forming cells. We tested the activity of H-IL-6 alone and in comb…