Role of vasoactive intestinal peptide in Aspergillus fumigatus-infected cornea.

ABSTRACT: AIM:To investigate the anti-inflammatory role of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) ketatitis. METHODS:Expression of VIP was tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in C57BL/6 and BALB/c normal and A. fumigatus infected corneas. C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with recombinant (r) VIP, while BALB/c mice were pretreated with VIP antagonist, and then infected with A. fumigatus. Clinical score was recorded. Expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (LOX-1), and neutrophil infiltration were tested by PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) assay. RESULTS:VIP mRNA expression in BALB/c cornea was higher than C57BL/6 cornea at 1 and 3d post infection (p.i.). rVIP treatment of C57BL/6 mice showed alleviated disease and down-regulated expression of interleukin-1? (IL-1?) and tumor necrosis factor-? (TNF-?), while IL-10 expression was up-regulated. Neutrophil infiltration and TLR4, IL-17 expression were decreased after rVIP treatment, while LOX-1 expression was up-regulated in C57BL/6. VIP antagonist pretreatment showed increased disease and higher IL-1?, TNF-?, TLR4, IL-17 and MPO levels, while IL-10 and LOX-1 levels were down-regulated in BALB/c mice. CONCLUSION:rVIP alleviate disease response of C57BL/6 mice. VIP antagonist resulted in worsened disease of BALB/c mice. VIP proposed anti-inflammatory role in A. fumigatus keratitis.

SUBMITTER: Li C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5824069 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature