Objective: To examine whether IL-6 promotes angiogenesis by modulating angiopoietin (Ang) expression in RA.
Methods: Synovial fibroblasts derived from RA patients (RASFs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were co-cultured for 6 days with or without recombinant IL-6, VEGF or Ang-1. HUVECs were stained with anti-CD31 antibody and their growth was determined by quantifying the CD31-positive area. SFs were collected from RA (n = 25) and OA (n = 7) patients.
Results: In the co-culture system, IL-6 and VEGF significantly enhanced HUVEC growth to a similar extent. However, the morphology of proliferating cells was distinct between IL-6- and VEGF-stimulated HUVEC. HUVEC stimulated with IL-6 exhibited small, loose clusters surrounded by dispersed single cells, suggesting destabilized angiogenesis by IL-6. In the supernatants, IL-6 up-regulated VEGF compared with controls and Ang-2, while it down-regulated Ang-1. In contrast, down-regulation of Ang-1 was not observed with VEGF stimulation. Consistent with the destabilized morphology, stimulation with IL-6 decreased cell surface expression of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) on HUVEC, presumably by inducing internalization. Interestingly, adding recombinant Ang-1 partially inhibited IL-6-induced morphological changes in HUVEC including a destabilized morphology with small, loose clusters and internalization of VE-cadherin. In SFs from RA patients, VEGF was negatively correlated with Ang-1 (r = -0.559, P=0.004).
Conclusion: IL-6 not only enhances VEGF expression but also inhibits Ang-1 signalling by directly down-regulating Ang-1 expression and up-regulating Ang-2, an antagonist of Ang-1. These synergistic effects may play a critical role in destabilized angiogenesis in RA.