Expression of interleukin-17 in lung and peripheral blood of asthmatic rats and the influence of dexamethasone.
The expression of interleukin-17 (IL-17) in lung and peripheral blood of asthmatic rats and the influence of dexamethasone, and the role of IL-17 in the pathogenesis of asthma were investigated. Thirty Sprague-Dawley (SD) adult rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=10 in each group): normal group, asthmatic group, and dexamethasone-interfered group. Rat asthmatic model was established by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 10% ovalbumin (OVA) and challenge with 1% OVA via inhalation. Rats in dexamethasone-interfered group were pretreated with dexamethasone (2 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min before each challenge. The expression of IL-17 protein in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was detected by ELISA. The expression of IL-17 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and BALF cells was semi-quantitatively detected by RT-PCR. The expression of IL-17 protein in serum and BALF of asthmatic rats was significantly elevated as compared with normal rats and dexamethasone-interfered rats (P<0.01), and there was significant difference between normal rats and dexamethasone-interfered rats (P<0.05). The expression of IL-17 mRNA in PBMC and BALF cells of asthmatic rats was markedly increased as compared with normal rats and dexamethasone-interfered rats (P<0.01), and significant difference was found between normal rats and dexamethasone-interfered rats (P<0.05). It was concluded that the expression of IL-17 was increased significantly in asthmatic rats and could be inhibited partly by dexamethasone, suggesting that IL-17 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma as an inflammation regulation factor.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. xiongweining@tjh.tjmu.edu.cn
Weining
W
Xiong
Daxiong
D
Zeng
Yongjian
Y
Xu
Huijuan
H
Fang
Yong
Y
Cao
Qingfeng
Q
Song
Chao
C
Cao
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010047:Ovalbumin; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
C515934:Il17a protein, rat; D020381:Interleukin-17; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003907:Dexamethasone; D010047:Ovalbumin