Objective To observe the influence of interleukin-1beta; (IL-1beta;) on the expression of phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (pSTAT 3) in rat retinal Muuml;ller cells.Methods For in vitro study cultured Muuml;ller cells were treated with IL-1beta; of different concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 5 and 10 ng/ml) for 24 hours. For in vivo study, 32 Sprague-Dawley（SD）rats were divided into 4 groups randomly (control group，100，500 and 1000 ng/ml group) with 8 rats in each group. After 24 hours of injection with phosphate buffered solution (PBS), or 100,500,1000 ng/ml IL-1beta; into the vitreous cavities of the above rats, retinas were harvested. The expressions of pSTAT3 in cultured Muuml;ller cells or treated retinas were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence and western blotting.Results After 24 hours of incubation without IL-1beta;, pSTAT3 has little expression in cultured Muuml;ller cells, but was upregulated by 1 ng/ml or higher IL-1beta; in a dosagedependent manner (F=46.64, 43.78;P＜0.01). pSTAT3 was not expressed in adult rat retina, but was upregulated by vitreous injection of 100 ng/ml or higher IL-1beta; in a dosagedependent manner (F=73.53,43.70;P＜0.01).pSTAT3 expressed mainly in inner nuclear layer and ganglion cell layer. Doublelabeling showed that there was no costaining of pSTAT3 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in retina of control group, but there were many costained Muuml;ller cells in retinas treated with IL-1beta;.Conclusions Expression of pSTAT3 in Muuml;ller cells could be activated by IL-1beta; which may represent one pathway link to reactive gliosis.
ObjectiveTo study the inhibitory effects of pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) on oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization in mice, and to investigate the possible involvement of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the neovascular-inhibitory function of PEDF. Methods A total of 140 postnatal day (P)7 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal control group, oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model group, PEDF treatment group and PBS treatment control group. All mice except normal control group with their mothers were exposed to (75±2)% oxygen environment for 5 days and then kept in room air for another 5 days to establish the OIR model. Mice in normal control group were kept in room air only. At P12 and P14, respectively, mice in PEDF treatment group received intravitreous injections of 1 μl PEDF (2 μg/μl), while PBS treatment control group received the same volume of PBS (10 mmol/L, pH7.4).All mice were euthanized at P17 and eyes were isolated. The changes of retinal vessels were observed on retinal flat mounts and cryosections by fluorescence microscopy. Retinal specimens were prepared for IL-1β protein and mRNA analysis by Western blot and real time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (Real-time RT-PCR). ResultsChanges of retinal vessels had been viewed by fluorescence microscopy on flat-mounted retina, the relative retinal neovascularization areas were significantly increased in OIR model group compared with normal control group (t=15.02, P < 0.01), and the relative retinal neovascularization areas were obviously smaller in PEDF treatment group than those in PBS treatment control group (t=5.96, P < 0.01). Fluorescence staining revealed that retinal vascular tufts were extending from outer plexiform layer (OPL) to ganglion cell layer (GCL) of the retina along with multiple interconnections; Neovascular tufts in OIR model group and PBS treatment control group were presenting distinctly more than those of normal control group and PEDF treatment group. The specific expression levels of IL-1β protein in retinas of OIR mice by Western-blot analysis were higher than those of normal control group(t=3.35, P < 0.05), While these of PEDF treatment group showed a considerable decline in comparison with PBS treatment control group (P < 0.01), and there were no difference in normal control group and PEDF-treated group (F=11.764, P > 0.05). Similarly, expression levels of IL-1β mRNA tested by Real-time RT-PCR were obviously increased in the OIR model group when compared to normal control group(t=4.43, P < 0.01). After treated with PEDF, expression levels of IL-1β mRNA showed a considerable decrease when compared to PBS treatment control group (P < 0.01), and there were no difference in normal control group and PEDF-treated group (F=11.15, P > 0.05). ConclusionsPEDF can inhibit oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization. The mechanism may be related to that PEDF can downregulate the expression of IL-1β in retina.