Interleukin-4 stimulates expression of urokinase-type-plasminogen activator in cultured human foreskin microvascular endothelial cells

Abstract

The effect of interleukin-4 (IL-4) on the fibrinolytic system of human microvascular and macrovascular endothelial cells in culture was studied. Only foreskin microvascular endothelial cells (EC) responded to IL-4 treatment with a dose- and time-dependent increase in urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) (control: 3.0 ± 0.8 ng/105 cells/ 24 h; 200 U/mL IL-4: 6.7 ± 0.8 ng/105 cells/24 h), whereas human macrovascular EC remained unaffected. A maximum effect was achieved with 200 U/mL IL-4. Little u-PA activity was detected in the conditioned media of human foreskin microvascular EC (HFMEC) treated without and with IL-4 before plasmin treatment (control: 0.03 ± 0.003 IU/105 cells/20 h; 20..