EXPRESSION OF MURINE INTERLEUKIN-11 AND ITS RECEPTOR ALPHA-CHAIN IN ADULT AND EMBRYONIC-TISSUES

Interleukin 11 (IL-11) is a multifunctional cytokine that has diverse effects on blood cells and their precursors and on a number of cell ty pes outside of the hematopoietic system, The cDNAs encoding murine IL- 11 and its receptor alpha-chain (IL-11R alpha) have recently been isol ated. We have used the RNase protection assay to examine the expressio n of murine IL-11 and IL-11R alpha in a range of adult mouse tissues, in embryos, and during development of embryonic stem (ES) cells into c ystic embryoid bodies in vitro. The testis showed a high level of IL-1 1 gene expression while a much lower level of expression was detected in the lung, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, Expression of IL-11 was not detected between day 10.5 and day 18.5 post coitum o f embryonic development or in differentiating ES cells in vitro. In co ntrast, the IL-11R alpha was found to be expressed in all adult tissue s examined, during embryonic development, and in totipotent and differ entiating ES cells.