[Growth regulation of vascular cells by cytokines]

Cytokines with stimulatory or inhibitory activities for vascular cells are reviewed. Directly or via humoral factors, vascular endothelial cells interact with blood cells, such as lymphocytes, neutrophils and platelets, while smooth muscle cells do so with inflammatory cells. Various cytokines, including IL-1, 6, 7, 8, GM-, G-, M-CSF, a, b-FGF, PDGF, TGF beta, PAF, PA, PAI-1, cell adhesion molecules and endothelin are produced by endothelial cells and/or smooth muscle cells, and in turn they and cytokines produced by blood cells, act as modulators of growth or function of the vascular cells under some physico-pathological states. Vascular cells, especially, endothelial cells might thus be involved in cytokine network.