Visfatin stimulates production of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and interleukin-6 in human vein umbilical endothelial cells.

Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and interleukin-6 are important inflammatory cytokines, which have close relationships with atherosclerosis. Visfatin is a novel adipokine involved in regulation of inflammatory cytokines, however, associations of visfatin with cytokines (MCP-1, IL-6) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells are unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether visfatin has effects on the expression of MCP-1 and IL-6 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used for measuring MCP-1 and IL-6 production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction was used for determining MCP-1 and IL-6 mRNA expression. For the pathway determination following inhibitors were used: wortmannin [phosphatiylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)], SB203580 [p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)], PD98059 [extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2)], JNK inhibitor II [c-Jun NH 2-terminal kinase (JNK)]. We demonstrated that visfatin could obviously upregulate secretion of MCP-1and IL-6 in a dose- and time-dependent manner in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Visfatin-induced effects were diminished by SB203580, wortmannin, and PD98059. In summary, these results suggest that visfatin-induced MCP-1 and IL-6 production involve p38 MAPK, PI3K, and ERK 1/2 pathways in human umbilical vein endothelial cells as determined by inhibition with specific inhibitors.