Nuclear internalisation and DNA binding activities of interleukin-1, interleukin-1 receptor and interleukin-1/receptor complexes.

This paper presents evidence to suggest that interleukin-1 alpha as a complex with its receptor is able to express DNA binding activity. Both the interleukin-1/receptor complex and the interleukin-1 receptor appear to be able to bind to DNA, however interleukin-1 on its own showed no binding activity. Interleukin-1 was found to be internalised into the nuclei of all cells examined (EL4, MEL, HL-60, K562, THP-1 and Jurkat cells). The data suggest the possible modulation of genes by interaction of interleukin-1/receptor complexes with DNA structures.