HGF signaling impacts severity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To determine whether rapamycin altered corneal growth factor levels to impact severity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis.

Methods

BALB/c mice were injected intraperitoneally with rapamycin or PBS and infected with P. aeruginosa. Corneas were harvested and mRNA levels of growth factors (EGF, HGF, FGF-7/KGF), receptors (EGFR, c-met, FGFR-2), and signaling molecules (PI3K, Akt, S6K1, and IGF-1R) tested. ELISA determined HGF/c-met, IGF-1, and Substance P (SP) protein levels. Corneal application of recombinant (r)HGF was assessed by clinical score, photography with a slit lamp, real-time RT-PCR (mRNA for mT0R, IL-10, IL-12, IL-18, PI3KCα, Akt), and ELISA (total and phosphorylated [p]c-met); rIGF-1 effects also were tested by ELISA. In vitro, RAW cells and peritoneal mac

SUBMITTER: Jiang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3985408 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature