Regulation of TNF-alpha and IL-1 gene expression during TPA-induced differentiation of "Malignant histiocytosis" DEL cell line t(5;6) (q35:p21).

The production of TNF-alpha and IL-1 alpha and beta molecules has been shown to be associated with the proliferation and activation of cells of the monocyte/macrophage series, the intermediate steps in the synthesis of these molecules have been less investigated. Unstimulated and TPA stimulated DEL cells (a CD30-positive, t(5;6)(q35;p21) malignant histiocytosis cell line) were used to study the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1 genes and to evaluate, by nuclear run-on assay and biological measurements, the control of their transcription and the level of protein production. To refine this analysis, the effects of cycloheximide and actinomycin D were also evaluated in this investigation. Following TPA stimulation, transcription of TNF-alpha (constitutively present) increased threefold as early as 30 mins and started decreasing by 24h. Cycloheximide superinduced the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA and, accordingly, the release of its protein. By contrast, transcription of IL-1 molecules appeared de novo and did not result in a biologically detectable protein. Measurements of RNA half line after actinomycin D indicated that TNF-a and IL-1 alpha mRNAs are not as stable as that of IL-1 beta. These results indicate that, despite their common synergistic activity, the transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms regulating the synthesis of TNF-alpha and IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta involve different pathways.