IFN-gamma induces IFN-alpha and IFN-beta expressions in cultured rat intestinal mucosa microvascular endothelial cells.

摘要

Although researchers have recently begun to pay more attention to the immunological characteristics of microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs), there are no reports on whether activation of MVECs by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) exerts any influence on the expressions of IFN-alpha/beta. In the present study, we examined the influence of IFN-gamma on the expressions of IFN-alpha/beta in rat intestinal mucous MVECs (RIMMVECs). Different concentrations of IFN-gamma were used to stimulate cultured RIMMVECs in vitro, and the cells and cell supernatants were collected at different time intervals. The influence of IFN-gamma on the expressions of IFN-alpha/beta in the RIMMVECs was examined at the mRNA and protein levels by real-time quantitative PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The results indicated that IFN-gamma was able to activate RIMMVECs, thereby leading to upregulated expressions of IFN-alpha/beta. The real-time quantitative PCR analyses indicated that the IFN-alpha/beta mRNA expression levels in RIMMVECs achieved their peak values after stimulation with IFN-gamma at 20 ng/mL for 6 h and were increased by 14.88- and 3.82-fold, respectively, when compared with the levels in negative control cells. The ELISA analyses revealed that the IFN-alpha/beta protein expression levels achieved their peak values after stimulation with IFN-gamma at 40 ng/mL. The expression of IFN-alpha protein achieved its peak value at 12 h, while the expression of IFN-beta protein achieved its peak value after 6 h. The present results suggest that the expression and secretion of IFNs may participate in the immunologic barrier function of MVECs.