Induction of cyclo-oxygenase by interleukin-1 in rheumatoid synovial cells.

The ability of interleukin-1 (IL-1) to stimulate prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by human rheumatoid adherent synovial cells was found to be time-dependent and sensitive to protein synthesis inhibitors. Cells incubated with exogenous arachidonic acid (10 microM) showed no increase in PGE2 production. However, with IL-1 (2.5 U/ml) and exogenous arachidonic acid there was a marked increase, with levels reaching twice that for cells incubated with IL-1 alone. Aspirin pre-treatment studies and the use of [acetyl-14C]aspirin showed that IL-1 increased PGE2 production through the induction of cyclo-oxygenase.