Chemokine production by human vascular smooth muscle cells: modulation by IL‐13

1 The production of chemokines by vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) is implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, although the factors regulating chemokine production by these cells are incompletely characterized. 2 We describe the differential stimulation of interleukin‐(IL)‐8, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)‐1 and regulated on activation normal T‐cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) synthesis following treatment of human vascular SMC with IL‐1α or tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα). Under basal conditions, cultured SMC release very low amounts of IL‐8, MCP‐1 and RANTES as assessed by specific ELISA. Concentration‐response studies with IL‐1α or TNFα revealed that each stimulus induced a similar amount of MCP‐1. In contrast approximately three fold more IL‐8 was induced by IL‐1α than by TNFα whereas significant RANTES production was induced only by TNFα. These findings point to a divergence in the regulation of synthesis of the different chemokines in response to IL‐1α or TNFα stimulation. 3 The T‐cell derived cytokines IL‐10 and IL‐13 were also found to have differential effects on chemokine production by SMC. IL‐13, but not IL‐10, significantly enhanced IL‐8 and MCP‐1 release in response to IL‐1α or TNFα. This increase in chemokine release appeared to be accounted for by increased mRNA expression. 4 These findings provide support for the concept that smooth muscle cells can have an active role in a local immune response via the production of chemokines which can be selectively modulated by T‐cell derived cytokines. British Journal of Pharmacology (1997) 122, 749–757; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0701433