Human and viral interleukin-6 expression in non-hodgkin's lymphomas
Intracellular expression of human and viral interleukin-6 mRNA was studied in biopsy specimens from 36 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Human interleukin-6 mRNA expression was found in 75% and viral interleukin-6 mRNA was expressed in 11% of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. This test may therefore identify a group of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas expressing viral interleukin-6. The virokine may be a useful target for specific immunotherapy because it has no antigen determinants specific of human interleukin-6.