Abstract

At sites of inflammation, endothelial cells play a major role in defining the types of leukocytes that are recruited to a specific area. This is accomplished, at least in part, through the cytokine induction of cell surface adhesion molecules, including vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). We investigated the role of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C in the induction of VCAM-1 gene expression by interleukin-1 beta. D609, a phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C inhibitor, reduced VCAM-1 cell surface expression and VCAM-1 promoter activity in human endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. D609 did not affect nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B but inhibited nuclear factor-kappa B-mediated transcription. The results of this study indicate that phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C is required for activation of nuclear factor-kappa B and cytokine induction of VCAM-1 gene expression in endothelial cells.