Induction of endothelin-1 synthesis by IL-2 and its modulation of rat intestinal epithelial cell growth

Endothelins are powerful vasoconstrictor peptides with 21 amino acid residues. A study was conducted to explore the possibility that intestinal epithelial cells express and release endothelins. Results showed that a potent cytokine termed IL-2 stimulated the release from intestinal cells of ET isopeptide ET-1 which, in turn, may be involved in regulating the growth of these cells. The findings suggest that ET can facilitate a coordinated response by epithelial cells and cellular constituents of the local immune system that is present in the intestinal mucosa.