| First Author | Chen WY | Year | 2006 |
| Journal | Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol | Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 9 | Pages | 2090-5 |
| PubMed ID | 16778121 | Mgi Jnum | J:127995 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3765309 | Doi | 10.1161/01.ATV.0000232502.88144.6f |
| Citation | Chen WY, et al. (2006) IL-20 is expressed in atherosclerosis plaques and promotes atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 26(9):2090-5 |
| abstractText | OBJECTIVE: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with immune cell infiltration. Various cytokines and chemokines have been characterized as pro- or antiatherogenic factors. Interleukin-20 (IL-20) belongs to the IL-10 family and is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. However, the association between IL-20 and atherosclerosis is undetermined. Therefore, we sought to investigate whether IL-20 is associated with atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined the expression of IL-20 and its receptor complex IL-20R1/IL-20R2 in atherosclerotic lesions of humans and mice using immunohistochemical staining. IL-20 was expressed in macrophage-rich areas. Both IL-20 and IL-20R1/IL-20R2 were expressed by endothelial cells lining the intimal microvessels, vasa vasorum, but rarely in nonatherosclerotic arteries. We used reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction to analyze gene expression. IL-20 transcripts increased in hypoxic monocytes and monocytes treated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein. The expression of IL-20R1 and IL-20R2 was also upregulated by human umbilical vein endothelial cells in response to hypoxic treatment. Incubating IL-20 with human umbilical vein endothelial cells upregulated CXCL9 and CXCL11 transcripts. Furthermore, in vivo administration of IL-20 expression vector using intramuscular electroporation promoted atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that IL-20 is a proatherogenic cytokine that contributes to the progression of atherosclerosis. |
