Effects of curcumin on interleukin-23 and interleukin-17 expression in rat retina after retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin on the retinal structure and the expressions of interleukin-23 (IL-23) and IL-17 in the rat retina after retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI).

METHODS

150 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into RIRI group (MG), low-dose curcumin group (LDCG) and high-dose curcumin group (HDCG), (n = 50 per group). RIRI was generated by anterior chamber perfusion of normal saline to the right eye. The left eye served as a normal control group (NCG). Rats in LDCG and HDCG received an intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg/d and 100 mg/kg/d curcumin respectively, at 30 min before RIRI and once daily after RIRI.

RESULTS

The morphological changes in HDCG group were improved as compared to MG and LDCG groups. Immunohistochemistry showed that IL-23 and IL-17 were mainly expressed in the ganglion cell layer and the inner nuclear layer of the retina. Low IL-23 and IL-17 expressions were observed in NCG, but increased significantly in MG and LDCG groups. Western blot assay and ELISA also showed that IL-23 and IL-17 expressions increased significantly after RIRI (vs. NCG, P<0.01). Moreover, the IL-23 expression reached a peak at 24 h, whereas IL-17 expression peaked at 72 h after RIRI. Curcumin reduced IL-23 and IL-17 expressions significantly in a dose-dependent manner (vs. MG, P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

The IL-23 and IL-17 expressions increase after RIRI and curcumin significantly reduces retinal IL-23 and IL-17 expressions in a dose-dependent manner and is able to prevent the RIRI induced damage to the retina.