title: Neopterin release from human endothelial cells is triggered by interferon-gamma.
abstract: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were investigated for their ability to produce neopterin, a biochemical marker for an activated immune system. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), IL-1 alpha, IL-2, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor, phytohaemagglutinin and concanavalin A were used to stimulate HUVEC. While IFN-gamma induced neopterin release from HUVEC in a time- and dose-dependent manner, all the other cytokines used had no effect on neopterin production. High neopterin levels are found in patients with rejection episodes or infections. Our results suggest that not only monocytes and macrophages, which are known to synthesize neopterin, but also endothelial cells are responsible for these high serum neopterin levels.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Andert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Griesmacher
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zuckermann
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002452:Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology; D019798:Neopterin; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003208:Concanavalin A; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor