Human arterial smooth muscle cells synthesize granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in response to interleukin-1α and tumor necrosis factor-α

Abstract

Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) are a major cell type comprising the walls of blood vessels. We report the synthesis of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) by cultured human SMC obtained from the internal mammary artery and thoracic aorta. Interleukin-1α (IL-1α) greatly increased in a dose-dependent manner the amount of this cytokine produced by the SMC, with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) being less effective. Newly formed G-CSF could be detected in culture supernatants within 6 hours after IL-1α or TNF-α treatment. Northern blot analysis of SMC stimulated with IL-1α and TNF-α showed an increase in the amount of mRNA for G-CSF as compared with control cells. Enhanced G-CSF mRN..