Nucleotide Sequence of Human Monocyte Interleukin 1 Precursor cDNA

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 81; no. 24; pp. 7907 - 7911
• Main Authors: Auron, Philip E., Webb, Andrew C., Rosenwasser, Lanny J., Mucci, Steven F., Rich, Alexander, Wolff, Sheldon M., Dinarello, Charles A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 01-12-1984; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Cloning, Molecular; Complementary DNA; DNA - analysis; DNA Restriction Enzymes; Gin; Humans; Interleukin-1 - genetics; Messenger RNA; Molecular weight; Monocytes; Monocytes - immunology; Nucleotide sequences; Nucleotides; Oocytes; Poly A - genetics; Protein Biosynthesis; Protein Precursors - genetics; Rabbits; Reticulocytes; Reticulocytes - metabolism; RNA; RNA - genetics; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Transcription, Genetic
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.81.24.7907

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is a protein with several biological activities regulating host defense and immune responses. We report here the isolation of human IL-1 cDNA. It encodes a precursor polypeptide of 269 amino acids (30,747 Mr). mRNA isolated by hybridization to this cDNA was translated in a reticulocyte cell-free system, yielding immunoprecipitable IL-1. Furthermore, this hybrid-selected mRNA was injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes, which subsequently secreted biologically active IL-1. The cDNA nucleotide sequence suggests that IL-1 is initially translated as a precursor molecule that is subsequently processed into the 15,000-20,000 Mrprotein usually associated with IL-1 activity.