Expression of transcripts of interleukin-6 and related cytokines by human breast tumors, breast cancer cells, and adipose stromal cells

The expression of transcripts of cytokines of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) family has been examined in human breast tumors, breast cancer cell lines, and adipose stromal cells, by means of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction amplification. Of the six breast tumor samples examined, all expressed transcripts encoding IL-6 and Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF). Four of the samples also expressed transcripts for oncostatin M (OSM) and IL-11,...