title: Interleukin-10 induction of nitric-oxide synthase expression attenuates CD40-mediated interleukin-12 synthesis in human endothelial cells.
abstract: Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine in Th1 cell-mediated chronic inflammatory diseases such as, e.g. Crohn's disease. Moreover, IL-10 has been shown to limit the progression of atherosclerosis, presumably by influencing endothelial cell function. Here we demonstrate that under pro-inflammatory conditions expression of the human IL-10 receptor gene is enhanced in endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo. Subsequent exposure to IL-10 results in an up-regulation of both endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (NOS-3) expression and activity. Gel mobility shift analyses and decoy oligonucleotide experiments suggest that this effect of IL-10 is mediated through activation of the transcription factor STAT-3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription-3). One functional consequence of IL-10 up-regulation of NOS-3 abundance in cultured endothelial cells is the attenuation of CD154-induced IL-12 p40 expression. Moreover, CD154-induced IL-12 p40 expression is enhanced after blockade of NOS-3 activity but attenuated in the presence of exogenous nitric oxide. Increased NOS-3 expression may, thus, be one mechanism by which IL-10 exerts its anti-inflammatory effects in Th1 cell-mediated chronic inflammatory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Physiology, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cattaruzza
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Słodowski
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stojakovic
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krzesz
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hecker
mesh_terms: D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000502:physiology*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000235:genetics; D053701:Receptors, Interleukin-10; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019013:CD40 Antigens; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40; D021122:Protein Subunits; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D053701:Receptors, Interleukin-10; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D016753:Interleukin-10; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D018664:Interleukin-12; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III