Upregulation of interleukin 21 and promotion of interleukin 17 production in chronic or recurrent Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To analyze the expression and potential role of interleukin (IL) 21 in the pathogenesis of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease.

METHODS:

Blood samples were obtained from patients with VKH disease and from healthy control subjects. Serum IL-21 level and IL-21 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Interleukin 17 and interferon γ levels in the supernatants of PBMCs and CD4(+) T cells cultured with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies in the presence or absence of recombinant IL-21 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS:

The results showed a significantly increased serum IL-21 level, as well as higher IL-21 mRNA expression by PBMCs, in patients having chronic or recurrent active VKH disease compared with patients having inactive VKH disease and with controls. In vitro experiments showed that recombinant IL-21 significantly increased IL-17 production by PBMCs and by CD4(+) T cells from patients and from controls. However, recombinant IL-21 did not affect interferon γ expression by PBMCs or by CD4(+) T cells.

CONCLUSION:

Interleukin 21 may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic or recurrent VKH disease, possibly by promoting IL-17 secretion.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE:

Findings from the present study suggest that IL-21 may be a potential target in the development of therapy for VKH disease.

• Authors: Fuzhen Li, Peizeng Yang, Xiaoli Liu, Chaokui Wang, Shengping Hou, Aize Kijlstra
• Journal: Archives of ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960) (Arch Ophthalmol) Vol. 128 Issue 11 Pg. 1449-54 (Nov 2010) ISSN: 1538-3601 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21060047 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Interleukin-17
• Interleukins
• RNA, Messenger
• Recombinant Proteins
• Interferon-gamma
• interleukin-21

Topics

• Adult
• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes (drug effects, metabolism)
• Cells, Cultured
• Chronic Disease
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation (physiology)
• Humans
• Interferon-gamma (metabolism)
• Interleukin-17 (biosynthesis)
• Interleukins (blood, genetics, pharmacology)
• Leukocytes, Mononuclear (drug effects, metabolism)
• Male
• RNA, Messenger (genetics)
• Recombinant Proteins (pharmacology)
• Recurrence
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome (genetics, metabolism)