title: IL-13 regulates vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression in human osteoblasts.
abstract: Activated T cells (Act T) produce multiple cytokines that affect osteoblast function as well as osteoclastogenesis. One of these cytokines, IL-13, is a multifunctional cytokine elaborated by Act T that regulates vascular cellular adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 expression in endothelial cells. VCAM-1 has also been implicated in osteoclast formation by myeloma cells. We therefore studied whether IL-13 regulates VCAM-1 in human osteoblastic cells since these cells express RANKL, the major osteoclastogenic factor and osteoclast precursors are found adjacent to osteoblasts. Human T cells were activated in the absence or presence of Cyclosporin A (CsA), an inhibitor of the production of most activated T cell cytokines. Conditioned media were assayed for IL-13 by ELISA. Act T produced IL-13 and, unlike other T cell cytokines, this was elevated 3-fold by CsA. Exposure of human osteoblasts (hOB) to doses of recombinant human IL-13 (rhIL-13, 0-10 ng/ml) resulted in an increase of VCAM-1 mRNA (up to 5-fold) within 4 h with a maximum stimulation at 1 ng/ml. CsA had no effect on basal hOB VCAM-1 mRNA expression. Examination of VCAM-1 on the cell surface of hOB, by immunocytochemistry, revealed increasing levels of surface expression of the protein within 16 h after stimulation with doses of rhIL-13 (0.1-10 ng/ml) which were reflective of the mRNAs. IL-6 production was also stimulated in a dose dependent manner with a maximum of 2.5-fold with 1 ng/ml rhIL-13 within 16 h. Since both VCAM-1 and IL-6 showed similar responses to IL-13, IL-6 was examined for its ability to induce VCAM-1. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated no effect of IL-6 on VCAM-1 expression. These data demonstrate that during pathological processes associated with T cell activation, such as rheumatoid arthritis or possibly post-menopausal osteoporosis, T cells may play a pivotal role in osteoclast precursor adhesion to osteoblasts as a first step prior to RANKL signaling.
authors.affiliation: Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. lrifas@im.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rifas
authors.forename: Su-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000502:physiology*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018793:Interleukin-13; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1