Modulation of the effects of interleukin-1 on glycosaminoglycan synthesis by the urine-derived interleukin-1 inhibitor, but not by interleukin-6.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been shown to regulate glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis. We therefore investigated whether an IL-1 inhibitor or IL-6 modulates IL-1 biologic activities in human synovial cells and cultured articular cartilage. We found that in the presence of a constant amount of IL-1 beta, stimulation of hyaluronic acid (HA) synthesis by the IL-1 inhibitor was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, the decrease in sulfated GAG synthesis induced by IL-1 was reversed by the addition of the IL-1 inhibitor. In contrast, IL-6 did not affect the production of HA, prostaglandin E2, or collagenase in synovial cells, nor did it affect GAG in organ cultures when tested in the presence or absence of IL-1 beta. Hence, IL-6 was ineffective in modulating IL-1 bioactivities on HA or sulfated GAG synthesis. These results emphasize the importance of IL-1 and IL-1 inhibitor in connective tissue destruction and raise questions concerning the role of IL-6 in this pathogenesis.