IL-4 inhibits LPS-, IL-1 beta- and TNF alpha-induced expression of tissue factor in endothelial cells and monocytes.

Inflammatory mediators such as endotoxin, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) dose-dependently increased the expression of tissue factor on the surface of cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (ABAE), human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human monocytes. In ABAE, endotoxin-, IL-1 beta- and TNF alpha-induced tissue factor expression was suppressed by interleukin-4 (IL-4) which also neutralized the pyrogenic effect of endotoxin in HUVEC and monocytes. IL-4 did not alter TNF-alpha-induced procoagulant changes in HUVEC and monocytes but strongly protected the monocyte surface against IL-1 beta-induced procoagulant changes.