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Interleukin‐2 is present in human blood vessels and released in biologically active form by heparanase
Author(s) -
Miller John D,
Clabaugh Suzanne E,
Smith Deandra R,
Stevens R Brian,
Wrenshall Lucile E
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1038/icb.2011.45
Subject(s) - heparanase , perlecan , immune system , vascular smooth muscle , blood vessel , cytokine , smooth muscle , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , biology , interleukin , interleukin 6 , extracellular matrix , proteoglycan , heparan sulfate , cell , endocrinology , biochemistry
Interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) is a multifaceted cytokine with immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive properties. Our laboratory recently demonstrated that the availability of IL‐2 is regulated, in part, by association with perlecan, a heparan sulfate proteoglycan. Given the abundance of perlecan in blood vessels, we asked whether IL‐2 is present in vessel walls. Our results indicate that IL‐2 is associated with endothelial and smooth muscle cells within the human arterial wall. This IL‐2 is released by heparanase, and promotes the proliferation of an IL‐2‐dependent cell line. Given the presence of IL‐2 in human arteries, we asked whether the large vessels of IL‐2‐deficient mice were normal. The aortas of IL‐2‐deficient mice exhibited a loss of smooth muscle cells, suggesting that IL‐2 may contribute to their survival. In their entirety, these results suggest a here‐to‐fore unrecognized role of IL‐2 in vascular biology, and have significant implications for both the immune and cardiovascular systems.