Human recombinant interleukin-1 beta stimulates glycosaminoglycan production in human synovial fibroblast cultures.

Human recombinant interleukin-1 beta (rIL-1 beta) stimulated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) production in human synovial fibroblast cultures. A dose-dependent increase in GAG production was found, to a maximum of 500%. Increase was detected at doses as low as 1 pg/ml of rIL-1 beta, reached a maximum at 10-100 pg/ml, and was apparent 10 hours after addition of rIL-1 beta. Stimulation of GAG was always accompanied by increased accumulation of prostaglandin E (PGE) in culture media and by increased collagenase production in approximately one-half the experiments. Indomethacin (5 micrograms/ml) completely inhibited PGE stimulation by rIL-1 beta, but only partially inhibited that of GAG overproduction and had no effect on collagenase production. Hydrocortisone (2 micrograms/ml) inhibited stimulation of all 3 parameters. Stimulation of hyaluronate in synovial cultures prevailed over that of sulfated GAG, which occurred to a lesser extent. Our results support earlier suggestions that interleukin-1 is a major active mononuclear cell factor that is capable of inducing profound changes in connective tissue cell function.