C-reactive protein decreases interleukin-8 production in human endothelial progenitor cells by inhibition of p38 MAPK pathway.
BACKGROUND
C-reactive protein (CRP) has been reported to damage the vascular wall by inducing endothelial dysfunction and inflammation, and it is also speculated to have a role in attenuating angiogenic functions of human endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is an important mediator of the paracrine mitogenic effect of EPCs, which has direct angiogenic effects on mature endothelial cells. We, herein, investigated the direct effect of CRP on IL-8 production and gene expression in cultured human EPCs.


METHODS
EPCs were isolated from the peripheral venous blood of healthy male volunteers. Cells were cultured in EndoCult liquid medium in the absence and presence of CRP at clinically relevant concentrations (5 to 25 microg/ml) for different durations (3 to 48 hours). IL-8 protein and mRNA of cultured EPCs were evaluated using ELISA and real-time PCR.


RESULTS
The results showed that CRP at a concentration of 10 microg/ml significantly reduced IL-8 secretion of cultured EPCs with a peak at 25 microg/ml, and also decreased mRNA expression in EPCs with a peak at 12 hours. In addition, preincubation of EPCs with SB203580, an inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) decreased CRP inhibition of IL-8 mRNA expression at 12 hours in EPCs.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study, for the first time, demonstrates that CRP directly inhibits EPCs IL-8 secretion, a key cytokine player of angiogenesis induced by EPCs. Inhibition occurred in part via an effect of CRP to active the p38 MAPK signal transduction pathway in EPC. The ability of CRP to inhibit EPCs IL-8 secretion may represent an important mechanism that further links inflammation to cardiovascular disease.
Department of Cardiology, Fu Wai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Jing-long
JL
Nan
Jian-jun
JJ
Li
Jian-guo
JG
He
D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
D007093:Imidazoles; D016209:Interleukin-8; D011725:Pyridines; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C093642:SB 203580