Properties of Human Urinary Interleukin 1 Activities

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Abstract
A review of the pleiotropic effects and numerous cell sources of interleukin 1 (IL 1) suggests it to be an important intercellular messenger. As such it is of considerable interest that normal human urine contains low molecular weight (4 kd and 2 kd) peptides with the thymocyte comitogenic activity of IL 1. These moieties may represent breakdown products of the usual 15 kd IL 1 peptide. Only the 2 kd but not the 4 kd urinary fraction exhibited the jibroblast proliferation activity of intact IL 1. Furthermore, anion exchange chromatography succeeded in separating the 2 kd fibroblast from the 2 kd thymocyte comitogenic activity. Consequently, determination of the portions of the IL 1 molecule that account for its pleiotropic biological effects will be greatly facilitated. Furthermore, the direct measurement of IL 1 activity in urine of patients with immunologic abnormalities, or with neoplastic or renal disease may prove valuable as a diagnostic and/or prognostic indicator.