Abstract:

Objective To investigate the expression of IL-17BR(IL-25R) from human vascular endothelial cell(HUVEC) and bronchial biopsies of asthmatics compared with controls. Methods Immunocytochemical method was employed to detect the expression of IL-17BR in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time quantitative PCR were used to study the diversification of IL-17BR gene expression in HUVEC cultured with or without rhIL-25. Avidin-biotin complex(ABC) method was employed for detecting IL-17BR immunoreactivity in bronchial biopsies. Results Immunocytochemistry showed that HUVEC constitutively expressed IL-17BR. PCR showed that the expression of IL-17BR mRNA was upregulated by its ligand, IL-25 (1 μg/L). The increased number of IL-17BR immunoreactive cells were found in the bronchial biopsies of asthmatics, whereas extremely few cells of the normal controls were positive for IL-17BR. Conclusion IL-17BR is constitutively expressed in HUVEC and airways bronchial mucosa and increases in asthmatic airways. It suggests that the IL-17BR positive cells in human bronchial vascular endothelial cells and airways mucosa may participate in the pathogenesis of asthma through interaction of IL-25 with its receptor.

Key words: human umbilical vein endothelial cells, interleukin-25, interleukin-17BR