IL-32 promotes angiogenesis

CA Nold-Petry, I Rudloff, Y Baumer, M Ruvo… - The Journal of …, 2014 - journals.aai.org
The Journal of Immunology, 2014journals.aai.org
IL-32 is a multifaceted cytokine with a role in infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer,
and it exerts diverse functions, including aggravation of inflammation and inhibition of virus
propagation. We previously identified IL-32 as a critical regulator of endothelial cell (EC)
functions, and we now reveal that IL-32 also possesses angiogenic properties. The
hyperproliferative ECs of human pulmonary arterial hypertension and glioblastoma
multiforme exhibited a markedly increased abundance of IL-32, and, significantly, the …
IL-32 is a multifaceted cytokine with a role in infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer, and it exerts diverse functions, including aggravation of inflammation and inhibition of virus propagation. We previously identified IL-32 as a critical regulator of endothelial cell (EC) functions, and we now reveal that IL-32 also possesses angiogenic properties. The hyperproliferative ECs of human pulmonary arterial hypertension and glioblastoma multiforme exhibited a markedly increased abundance of IL-32, and, significantly, the cytokine colocalized with integrin α V β 3. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor blockade, which resulted in EC hyperproliferation, increased IL-32 three-fold. Small interfering RNA–mediated silencing of IL-32 negated the 58% proliferation of ECs that occurred within 24 h in scrambled-transfected controls. Reduction of IL-32 neither affected apoptosis (insignificant changes in Bak-1, Bcl-2, Bcl-x L, lactate dehydrogenase, annexin V, and propidium iodide) nor VEGF or TGF-β levels, but siIL-32–transfected adult and neonatal ECs produced up to 61% less NO, IL-8, and matrix metalloproteinase-9, and up to 3-fold more activin A and endostatin. In coculture-based angiogenesis assays, IL-32γ dose-dependently increased tube formation up to 3-fold; an α V β 3 inhibitor prevented this activity and reduced IL-32γ–induced IL-8 by 85%. In matrigel plugs loaded with IL-32γ, VEGF, or vehicle and injected into live mice, we observed the anticipated VEGF-induced increase in neocapillarization (8-fold versus vehicle), but unexpectedly, IL-32γ was equally angiogenic. A second signal such as IFN-γ was required to render cells responsive to exogenous IL-32γ; importantly, this was confirmed using a completely synthetic preparation of IL-32γ. In summary, we add angiogenic properties that are mediated by integrin α V β 3 but VEGF-independent to the portfolio of IL-32, implicating a role for this versatile cytokine in pulmonary arterial hypertension and neoplastic diseases.
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