Identification of Sequences Mediating Interleukin-6 Induction of a Rat T Kininogen Gene*

Abstract Interleukin-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine that has a major role in the coordination of the hepatic acute phase response. In order to more fully understand this role, we have examined the interleukin-6 induction of T kininogen, a cysteine protease inhibitor and a major acute phase reactant in the rat. Using deletional analysis and site-directed mutagenesis of T kininogen-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase fusion constructs transfected into HepG2 hepatoma cells, we have identified two similar interleukin-6 response elements within 250 base pairs of the transcription start site. These two response elements are functionally interdependent. The sequences of these two elements match the consensus sequence for the previously described Type B interleukin-6 response element. Interleukin-6 signal transduction via two Type B elements has not been observed previously in vivo. A DNA fragment encompassing these response elements forms the same protein complex with nuclear extracts from both untreated and interleukin-6-treated cells.