Shear stress increases the release of interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 by aortic endothelial cells
Sterpetti, A.V.; Cucina, A.; Morena, A.R.; Di Donna, S.; D'Angelo, L.S.; Cavalarro, A.; Stipa, S.
Surgery 114(5): 911-914
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0039-6060 PMID: 8236014 Document Number: 415860
Background. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between shear stress and the release of interleukin-1 (IL- 1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by endothelial cells (EC). Methods. Bovine aortic EC were seeded in fibronectin-coated cylinders at 1.0 times 10-6 cells/tube and allowed to reach confluence and to adhere for 48 hours. The experimental groups were subjected to a laminar flow of 100 ml/min (6 dyne/cm-2). The control group was subjected to similar incubation conditions without flow. The release of IL-1 and IL-6 by EC was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. Shear stress increased significantly (p lt 0.01) the release of IL-1 and IL-6 by EC. The release of these two cytokines had different kinetics. Conclusions. Increasing shear stress facilitates release of IL-1 and IL-6 by EC. Previous reports have shown that IL-1 and IL-6 promote vascular smooth-muscle cell proliferation. Thus abnormal flow conditions with increasing shear stress may predispose to smooth-muscle cell proliferation that characterizes early atherosclerotic plaque development by an interleukin-mediated mechanism.