title: Interleukin-6 production by endothelial cells after infection with influenza virus and cytomegalovirus.
abstract: Inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Viruses may be a cause of chronic inflammation, and both influenza virus and CMV have been associated with cardiovascular diseases. IL-6, a proinflammatory cytokine with antiviral effects, has a pivotal role in the immune response, and under pathologic conditions, prohemostatic effects of IL-6 could lead to pathologic thrombosis and vascular plaque instability. To investigate this role of IL-6, we measured the production of IL-6 by human endothelial cells after infection with influenza virus and CMV. After infection with influenza virus or CMV, IL-6 release into the medium increased (1756.5+/-156.9 pg/mL vs 284.4+/-55.3 pg/mL; P < .001) for influenza-Infected compared with uninfected cells after 36 hours' incubation. Ultracentrifuged influenza virus supernatants, heat-inactivated virus, and purified hemagglutinin were not able to elicit IL-6 synthesis by human endothelial cells. These findings show that CMV and influenza virus are capable of modulating the in vitro production of IL-6, a cytokine involved in vascular inflammation, by human endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Utrecht, Department of Internal and Vascular Medicine, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Visseren
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Verkerk
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Bouter
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Diepersloot
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Erkelens
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000502:physiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase