Effects of interleukin-17 on human retinal vascular endothelial cell capillary tube formation in vitro

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of and mechanism underlying interleukin (IL)-17 on human retinal vascular endothelial cell (HREC) capillary tube formation in vitro. The expression of IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) in human HRECs was quantified using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analyses. The roles of IL-17 in HREC migration and capillary tube formation were detected using a wound scratching assay and three-dimensional Matrigel assay, respectively, in vitro. HREC proliferation was examined using a cell counting kit-8 assay with administration of serial doses of IL-17. The effects of IL-17 on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), intercellular cell adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, IL-6 and IL-8 in HRECs were evaluated using RT-PCR and western blot analyses. The results revealed that the HRECs expressed IL-17R, and the number of intact capillary tubes formed by HRECs in the presence of IL-17 was markedly higher, compared with that in the blank control group. The wound scratching assay showed that the numbers of migrated HRECs stimulated with IL-17 at concentrations of 100 or 500 ng/ml were significantly higher, compared with the number in the control group. The RT-PCR and western blot analyses showed that IL-17 significantly promoted the expression of VEGF, ICAM-1, IL-6 and IL-8 by the HRECs. The proliferation of HRECs in the presence of IL-17 was also significantly increased. Therefore, IL-17 increased HREC capillary tube formation through promoting HREC migration, proliferation, and expression levels of VEGF, ICAM-1, IL-6 and IL-8.