A 4.1-Kilodalton Polypeptide in the Cultural Supernatant of Mycoplasma fermentans Is One of the Substances Responsible for Induction of Interleukin-6 Production by Human Gingival Fibroblasts

The cultural supernatant of Mycoplasma fermentans induced interleukin-6 production by human gingival fibroblasts. The active entities were divided into hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances. In this study, we purified a 4.1-kilodalton polypeptide from the hydrophilic substances. It reacted with polyclonal antibodies to M. fermentans and activated human macrophages.