Consistently, RANKL did not have a direct effect on myeloma cell survival, but RANKL treatment induced a significant increase of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-11 secretion by both BMSC and endothelial cells.
Recent investigations of the cytokine network surrounding myeloma cells have disclosed the importance of gp130-related cytokines including interleukin (IL)-6 for myeloma cell survival and proliferation, identification of IL-10 as a growth factor for myeloma cells, the close relationship between IL-10 and the receptors for gp130-related cytokines, and the growth enhancement effect of IL-11 and IL-7 on myeloma cells.
We have previously shown that IL-10 could induce IL-11 receptor in myeloma cells and confer on them sensitivity to IL-11 (Lu et al, FEBS Lett 377:515, 1995).