Production of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) by human articular cartilage and chondrocytes. Modulation by interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha.

A specific radioimmunoassay was employed to demonstrate that human articular cartilage and chondrocyte monolayers in organ and cell culture, respectively, produce macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) in response to stimulation with interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and TNF beta. Optimum doses were 10-100 U/ml for IL-1 (0.06-0.6 nM IL-1 alpha; 0.02-0.2 nM IL-1 beta) and 1-10 nM for TNF alpha. Low levels of M-CSF were observed in the supernatants of nonstimulated cultures while increased levels of M-CSF in response to IL-1 alpha and TNF alpha were detected following 2 h exposure to the cytokines. IL-1 alpha and TNF alpha did not show synergy for the production of M-CSF when both cytokines were added to cultures. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide inhibited both the basal and IL-1 alpha-induced production of M-CSF, suggesting a requirement for de novo RNA and protein synthesis. Cytokine-induced M-CSF production was also inhibited by the antiinflammatory corticosteroid, dexamethasone, but not by the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin. The cytokines IL-4, IL-6, platelet-derived growth factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, transforming growth factor-beta and interferons -alpha and -gamma, each had little or no effect on M-CSF levels, while basic fibroblast growth factor, lipopolysaccharide, and retinoic acid were each weak stimuli. We propose that chondrocyte M-CSF production in response to IL-1 and TNF alpha, and the concurrent destruction of cartilage by these cytokines, could provide a mechanism for the chronic nature of rheumatoid disease.