Research Article1 October 1987free access Structure and expression of human B cell stimulatory factor-2 (BSF-2/IL-6) gene. K. Yasukawa K. Yasukawa Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author T. Hirano T. Hirano Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author Y. Watanabe Y. Watanabe Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author K. Muratani K. Muratani Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author T. Matsuda T. Matsuda Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author S. Nakai S. Nakai Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author T. Kishimoto T. Kishimoto Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author K. Yasukawa K. Yasukawa Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author T. Hirano T. Hirano Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author Y. Watanabe Y. Watanabe Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author K. Muratani K. Muratani Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author T. Matsuda T. Matsuda Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author S. Nakai S. Nakai Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author T. Kishimoto T. Kishimoto Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. Search for more papers by this author Author Information K. Yasukawa1, T. Hirano1, Y. Watanabe1, K. Muratani1, T. Matsuda1, S. Nakai1 and T. Kishimoto1 1Division of Immunology, Osaka University, Japan. The EMBO Journal (1987)6:2939-2945https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02598.x PDFDownload PDF of article text and main figures. ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyWechatReddit Figures & Info The chromosomal DNA segment of human B cell stimulatory factor-2 (BSF-2/IL-6) was isolated and characterized by nucleotide sequence analysis. The human BSF-2/IL-6 gene consists of five exons and four introns and its organization shows a distinctive similarity to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor gene. The two genes have the same number of exons and introns and the size of each exon is strikingly similar. The BSF-2/IL-6 mRNA was found to be constitutively expressed in a human T cell leukemia virus-1 transformed T cell line, TCL-Na1, a bladder cell carcinoma line, T24, and an amnion derived cell line, FL. The BSF-2/IL-6 mRNA was also found to be inducible with interleukin-1 beta in an astrocytoma line, U373 and a glioblastoma line, SK-MG-4. S1 mapping and primer extension analyses showed the presence of multiple initiation sites and the preferential utilization of a different initiation site for each individual tissue tested. Previous ArticleNext Article Volume 6Issue 101 October 1987In this issue RelatedDetailsLoading ...