A CILIARY NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR-SENSITIVE HUMAN MYELOMA CELL-LINE

We obtained a human myeloma cell line (XG4-CNTF) whose growth was comp letely dependent on addition of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). Ha lf-maximal proliferation was induced by adding 20 pg/mL CNTF. Response to CNTF correlated with expression of membrane CNTF receptor alpha-ch ain (CNTFR alpha), as shown by PCR analysis and immunostaining with an ti-CNTFR alpha antibodies. CNTF-induced proliferation was completely i nhibited by antibodies to gp130 interleukin-6 (IL-6) transducer, unlik e antibodies to IL-6 or IL-6 receptor (IL-6R). Growth of XG4-CNTF cell s using the gp130 IL-6 transducer was also supported by other cytokine s: IL-6, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and oncostatin M (OM). This cell line should be very useful for studying the interactions of IL-6 -related cytokines with their receptors.