Lu Jian-Min, Song Xiu-Jun, Wang Hui-Fang, Li Xiao-Lei, Zhang Xiao-Rong
Department of Ophthalmology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Mol Vis. 2012;18:2255-64. Epub 2012 Aug 10.
The peripheral cornea contains mature and immature resident dendritic cells (DCs) while the central cornea is exclusively equipped with immature DCs. There must be some factors that cause immature DCs. This study investigated whether corneal stroma cells (CSCs) inhibit DC maturation by secreting cytokines.
The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein level of transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF-β(2)) was analyzed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immature DCs were induced to mature in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and with concentrations of CSC culture supernatant (containing and not containing neutralizing TGF-β(2) antibodies). Then, the DC phenotypic and functional maturation were analyzed.
CSCs exhibited positive expressions of TGF-β(2) mRNA and secreted high concentrations of TGF-β(2) protein. In the presence of LPS, DCs, which were treated with a CSC culture supernatant, displayed reduced expressions of cluster of differentiation 80 (CD80), CD86, and major histocompatibility complex II (MHC II) in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treated DCs showed lower T-cell stimulation capacity and a higher endocytosis function. However, these phenotypic and functional modifications were partially reversed after the application of neutralizing TGF-β(2) antibodies.
This study demonstrates that CSCs can partially inhibit LPS-induced DC maturation through TGF-β(2) secretion in vitro.
周边角膜含有成熟和未成熟的驻留树突状细胞(DCs),而中央角膜仅配备未成熟的DCs。必定存在一些导致未成熟DCs的因素。本研究调查角膜基质细胞(CSCs)是否通过分泌细胞因子来抑制DC成熟。
使用逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)和酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)分析转化生长因子β2(TGF-β(2))的信使核糖核酸(mRNA)和蛋白质水平。在脂多糖(LPS)存在下以及在不同浓度的CSC培养上清液(含和不含中和性TGF-β(2)抗体)中诱导未成熟DCs成熟。然后,分析DC的表型和功能成熟情况。
CSCs表现出TGF-β(2) mRNA的阳性表达并分泌高浓度的TGF-β(2)蛋白。在LPS存在下,用CSC培养上清液处理的DCs以剂量依赖性方式表现出分化簇80(CD80)、CD86和主要组织相容性复合体II(MHC II)表达降低。此外,处理后的DCs显示出较低的T细胞刺激能力和较高的内吞功能。然而,在应用中和性TGF-β(2)抗体后,这些表型和功能改变部分得到逆转。
本研究表明,CSCs在体外可通过分泌TGF-β(2)部分抑制LPS诱导的DC成熟。