Cyclooxygenase-2 Regulates Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony–Stimulating Factor, but Not Interleukin-8, Production by Human Vascular Cells

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Abstract
—Vascular smooth muscle is now recognized as an important site of mediator generation under inflammatory conditions. Indeed, the release of leukocyte activators, such as granulocyte-macrophage colony–stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin (IL)-8, by human arterial smooth muscle cells has recently been demonstrated. However, the potential for venous cells to release GM-CSF has not been addressed. We have shown that human vascular smooth muscle cells express the “inflammatory” form of cyclooxygenase (COX), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), when stimulated with cytokines. In some nonvascular cell types, the COX activity has been shown to regulate the release of GM-CSF and IL-8, although the nature of the isoform responsible was not addressed. We show that human venous smooth muscle cells, like their arterial counterparts, release GM-CSF after stimulation with IL-1β. Similarly, both cell types released IL-8. Under the same conditions, we found that COX-2 activity suppressed GM-CSF, but not IL-8, release ...