[N-acetylcysteine antagonizes the Interleukin-18-induced expression of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in mouse vascular smooth muscle cells].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of N-acetylcysteine(NAC)on the interleukin(IL)18-induced expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and interleukin(IL) 6 in mouse vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC).


METHODS
VSMC was stimulated with various concentrations of IL-18 for different times after addition of NAC(5 mmol/L) for 1 h. The messenger ribonucleic acid(mRNA) expression of TNF-alpha and IL-6 was measured by RT-PCR and the protein secretion of the two cytokines was determined by ELISA method. Western blot was used to analyze the activation of NF-kappaB in VSMC.


RESULTS
IL-18 significantly increased the mRNA expression and protein secretion of TNF-alpha and IL-6 (P>0.01) in a dose-dependent and a time-dependent ways. NAC inhibited the mRNA expression and protein secretion of TNF-alpha and IL-6 induced by IL-18(P>0.01). Western blot results showed the NAC inhibited the IL-18-induced activation of NF-kappaB in VSMC.


CONCLUSIONS
N-acetylcysteine antagonizes the production of TNF-alpha and IL-6 induced by IL-18 in VSMC.
Zhang
Sheng-quan
SQ
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China. sqz36@yahoo.com
Luo
Xin
X
Huang
Hai-liang
HL
Chai
Yu
Y
Hu
Dao-jun
DJ
Tao
Qian-shan
QS
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D020382:Interleukin-18; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000111:Acetylcysteine