[N-acetylcysteine antagonizes the Interleukin-18-induced expression of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in mouse vascular smooth muscle cells].

AIM:To explore the effect of N-acetylcysteine(NAC)on the interleukin(IL)18-induced expression of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)α and interleukin(IL)6 in mouse vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC).METHODS:VSMC was stimulated with various concentrations of IL-18 for different times after addition of NAC(5 mmol/L)for 1 h.The messenger ribonucleic acid(mRNA)expression of TNF-α and IL-6 was measured by RT-PCR and the protein secretion of the two cytokines was determined by ELISA method.Western blot was used to analyze the activation of NF-κB in VSMC.RESULTS:IL-18 significantly increased the mRNA expression and protein secretion of TNF-α and IL-6(P0.01)in a dose-dependent and a time-dependent ways.NAC inhibited the mRNA expression and protein secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 induced by IL-18(P0.01).Western blot results showed the NAC inhibited the IL-18-induced activation of NF-κB in VSMC.CONCLUSION:N-acetylcysteine antagonizes the production of TNF-α and IL-6 induced by IL-18 in VSMC.