Because both IL-18 and Angiotensin II (Ang II) are implicated in atherosclerosis, our objective was to analyze the role of IL-18 signaling and potential cross-talk with Ang II in VSMC.
Variations of the IL18 gene consistently influence circulating levels of IL-18 and clinical outcome in patients with coronary artery disease, which supports the hypothesis of a causal role of IL-18 in atherosclerosis and its complications.
To examine the role of IL-18 in atherosclerosis, we determined the relation between IL-18 mRNA expression and signs of plaque instability using real-time quantitative PCR.