Interleukin-6 stimulates c-myc expression and proliferation of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.
The effects of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a cytokine recently found to be secreted by monocytes and macrophages, on c-myc expression and proliferation of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were investigated. Treatment with IL-6 caused rapid increase in the c-myc mRNA level of VSMC. It also stimulated DNA synthesis and proliferation of the cells significantly and dose-dependently at concentrations of more than 10 U/ml. These results suggest that IL-6 may be important in the proliferation of VSMC, which is a key event in the development of arteriosclerosis, as a factor mediating immune cell-VSMC interaction.
Nabata
T
T
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Morimoto
S
S
Koh
E
E
Shiraishi
T
T
Ogihara
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes / Q000187:drug effects*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D015850:Interleukin-6; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D004247:DNA