Interleukin-33 induces growth-regulated oncogene-α expression and secretion in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Although interleukin-33 (IL-33), a member of the IL-1 cytokine family, plays proinflammatory roles in immune cells as an "alarmin," little is known regarding the biological actions of IL-33 on vascular endothelial cells. To investigate the effects of IL-33 on vascular endothelial cells, we first screened the IL-33-regulated proteins in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) using a dot blot array and observed that IL-33 markedly increased growth-regulated oncogene-α (GRO-α), a chemokine that is also known as chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1). Real-time reverse transcription PCR and ELISA demonstrated that IL-33 induced GRO-α expression and secretion in HUVECs in a dose- and a time-dependent manner. Western immunoblot assay revealed that IL-33 activated the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-Jun NH₂-terminal kinase (JNK). In addition, translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 to the nucleus of HUVECs was observed by IL-33 stimulation. Furthermore, treatment with pharmacological inhibitors against ERK1/2 (PD98059), JNK (SP600125), or NF-κB (BAY11-7085) significantly suppressed IL-33-induced GRO-α gene expression and secretion from HUVECs. Moreover, immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that IL-33 and GRO-α coexpressed in the endothelium of human carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Taken together, the present study indicates that IL-33 localized in the human atherosclerotic plaque increases GRO-α mRNA expression and protein secretion via activation of ERK1/2, JNK, and NF-κB in HUVECs, suggesting that IL-33 plays an important role in the pathophysiology and development of atherosclerosis.