Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
To study the effects of macrophage and lymphocyte-derived factors on superoxide anion (O2-) generation and release from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (EC), cultured EC were stimulated by ultrapure interleukin 1 (IL 1) and recombinant interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and the O2- released into the supernatant was measured. Both of these cytokines enhanced O2- release in a dose and time-dependent manner. Addition of a combination of IL 1 and IFN-gamma, each in submaximal concentration, produced an additive effect on O2- release. It would appear from these findings that cytokines released by macrophages and lymphocytes during inflammatory reactions can promote O2- generation and release from human EC. O2- released from EC may alter the basement membrane of blood vessels and the surrounding connective tissue, and in this way promote the vascular injury and angiogenesis associated with local inflammation.
Matsubara et al. (Sat,) studied this question.