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Involvement of nitric oxide in the inhibition of angiogenesis by interleukin‐2
Author(s) -
Sakkoula Eleni,
PipiliSynetos Eva,
Maragoudakis M. E.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1038/sj.bjp.0701436
Subject(s) - chorioallantoic membrane , angiogenesis , nitric oxide , umbilical vein , nitric oxide synthase , in vivo , cytokine , in vitro , pharmacology , chemistry , interleukin , biology , biochemistry , immunology , endocrinology , cancer research , microbiology and biotechnology
Interleukin‐2 (IL‐2), an immunoregulatory cytokine possessing antitumour activity, is an inducer of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in mice and man. In this study, the possibility that IL‐2 possesses antiangiogenic properties that account for its antitumour effects in vivo was examined. IL‐2 caused a dose‐dependent inhibition of angiogenesis in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). This inhibition was completely reversed by the NO synthase inhibitor N G ‐nitro‐ L ‐arginine methylester ( L ‐NAME). Furthermore, IL‐2 was capable of stimulating NO synthase activity in the CAM in vitro and this effect was suppressed by L ‐NAME. Addition of IL‐2 to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in culture, had no effect on their growth characteristics. These results suggest that IL‐2 may be an important antiangiogenic molecule causing its effect via nitric oxide synthesis. The antiangiogenic activity of IL‐2 may be, at least in part, responsible for its antitumour properties. British Journal of Pharmacology (1997) 122 , 793–795; doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0701436