Interleukin-2 induces extracellular matrix synthesis and TGF-?2 expression in retinal pigment epithelial cells.

ABSTRACT: Macular fibrosis is a vital obstacle of vision acuity improvement of age-related macular degeneration patients. This study was to investigate the effects of interleukin 2 (IL-2) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and transforming growth factor ?2 (TGF-?2) expression in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. 10 ?g/L IL-2 was used to induce fibrosis in RPE cells for various times. Western blot was used to detect the EMT marker ?-smooth muscle actin (?-SMA), ECM markers fibronectin (Fn) and type 1 collagen (COL-1), TGF-?2, and the activation of the JAK/STAT3 and NF-?B signaling pathway. Furthermore, JAK/STAT3 and NF-?B signaling pathways were specifically blocked by WP1066 or BAY11-7082, respectively, and the expression of ?-SMA, COL-1, Fn and TGF-?2 protein were detected. Wound healing and Transwell assays were used to measure cell migration ability of IL-2 with or without WP1066 or BAY11-7082. After induction of IL-2, the expressions of Fn, COL-1, TGF-?2 protein were significantly increased, and this effect was correlated with IL-2 treatment duration, while ?-SMA protein expression did not change significantly. Both WP1066 and BAY11-7082 could effectively downregulate the expression of Fn, COL-1 and TGF-?2 induced by IL-2. What's more, both NF-?B and JAK/STAT3 inhibitors could suppress the activation of the other signaling pathway. Additionally, JAK/STAT3 inhibitor WP1066 and NF-?B inhibitor BAY 11-7082 could obviously decrease RPE cells migration capability induced by IL-2. IL-2 promotes cell migration, ECM synthesis and TGF-?2 expression in RPE cells via JAK/STAT3 and NF-?B signaling pathways, which may play an important role in proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

SUBMITTER: Jing R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6899885 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature