Abstract
Purpose: Interleukin-10 (IL-10) has been shown to inhibit inflammation seen with endotoxin-induced uveitis in mice and rabbits. We studied mice genetically deficient in IL10 to see if they have increased inflammation in response to intravitreal endotoxin. Methods: Germ free (GF) and conventional (nGF) C57BL/6 X 129 mice genetically deficient for the IL-10 gene (IL-10KO) and congenic littermates showing IL-10 expression (IL-10+) underwent intravitreal injection of 1 /d (trial 1) or 2 1 (trial 2) of 125ng//tl endotoxin in buffer. At 24 hours the mice were euthanized. Inflammation was graded by a masked observer who counted leukocytes in a cross-section of the eye. Result: In trial 1, eleven GF IL-10KO mice had a mean ±SE of 72+25 cells per section (cps). Twelve nGFIL-10KOmicehadameanof70±46cps. Ten nGF IL-10+ mice had a mean of 13+9 cps. The difference in inflammation seen between IL-10+ and IL-10KO mice was statistically significant (p=0.02). In trial 2, eleven GF IL-10KO mice had a mean of 761 ±147 cps. Seven nGF IL-10KO mice had a mean of 1365±360 cps. Five GF IL10+ mice had a mean of 384±81 cps. Two nGF IL-10+ mice had a mean of 731 ±9 cps. This trend for more inflammation in the IL-10KO group did not reach statistical significance (p=0.11). Conclusion: Interleukin-10 knockout mice tend to develop more severe inflammation with endotoxin-induced uveitis at 24 hours than IL-10 competent mice. This lends support to the role of IL-10 as an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Although the germ free state should prevent exposure or tolerance to endotoxin, germ free mice in this study did not show a statistically significant increase in inflammation.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | S188 |
| Journal | Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| State | Published - Dec 1 1997 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology
- Sensory Systems
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience