Advertisement
Research Article Free access | 10.1172/JCI112532
Find articles by Bussolino, F. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Find articles by Breviario, F. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Find articles by Tetta, C. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Find articles by Aglietta, M. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Find articles by Mantovani, A. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Find articles by Dejana, E. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Published June 1, 1986 - More info
Monocyte-derived interleukin 1 (IL-1) was found to be a potent inducer of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in cultured human vascular endothelial cells (HEC). The product was identified as PAF by its behavior in chromatographic systems, its recovery of biological activity, and its physico-chemical properties and susceptibility to lipases. The response of HEC to IL-1 was concentration-dependent, took more than 2 h to become apparent, and decreased after 18 h of incubation. Most of the PAF produced was cell-associated and only a small amount (about 25% of the total) was released in the culture medium. To study the mechanism of IL-1-induced HEC-PAF production we tested the activity of 1-O-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine:acetyl/coenzyme A acetyltransferase in HEC. Acetyltransferase activity measured in IL-1-stimulated HEC lysates showed a three to five times greater maximum velocity, but the same Michaelis constant, as untreated cells. The regulation of PAF generation in HEC by IL-1 may be an important aspect of the two-way interaction between immunocompetent cells and vascular tissue.