STUDIES OF THE BIOREGULATORY ASPECTS OF THE RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIAL CELL

视网膜色素上皮细胞在维持视网膜色素上皮细胞的功能中起着重要的作用。 神经视网膜的结构和生理完整性。 其结构和功能的改变可能导致损失 光感受器和视觉。我们研究了RPE细胞 广泛作为一个重要的免疫调节细胞内 眼睛的后极。我们对RPE细胞的研究活动可以 可细分为三类：正常细胞功能研究， 细胞因子相互作用和感染过程。 细胞因子如 干扰素（IFN）-γ和IL-2，是一组专门的 类胡萝卜素蛋白对细胞的生长和分化有着深远的影响， 发育和各种细胞功能。这个项目 专注于研究细胞因子与 免疫系统的细胞和眼部的细胞 微环境这些研究表明，马槟榔碱介导的 RPE细胞的活化可能是眼内炎症的基本组成部分， 免疫和RPE细胞移植的一个重要方面。 在过去的一年里，我们研究了感染性疾病的相互作用， 药物与HRPE细胞和随后的细胞因子激活 基因表达。我们发现巨细胞病毒（CMV）感染 HRPE细胞的增殖导致细胞因子的分泌增强， IL-6。北方印迹分析显示， 表明在转录水平上激活。我们有 先前表明HRPE细胞可以作为IL-6的来源， in the eye. IL-6是一种促炎细胞因子， 在人类疾病期间在玻璃体内检测到， IL-6注射后的葡萄膜炎。CMV触发IL-6的能力 RPE细胞中的基因表达和产生可以确定 病毒促进眼部炎症的方式。而且这 HRPE细胞产生细胞因子的机制可能是 眼炎症的未来治疗策略。

The RPE cell plays a basic role in maintaining the structural and physiological integrity of the neural retina. Alterations in its structural and functional actions can result in loss of photoreceptors and vision. We have studied the RPE cell extensively as an important immunoregulatory cell within the posterior pole of the eye. Our research activities on RPE cells can be subdivided into three categories: normal cell function studies, cytokine interactions and infectious processes. Cytokines, such as interferon (IFN)-gamma and IL-2, are a group of specialized hormone-like proteins which exert profound influences on cellular development and on a variety of cellular functions. This project has concentrated on studying the ways in which cytokines interact with cells of the immune system and with cells in the ocular microenvironment. These studies indicate that cytokine-mediated activation of RPE cells may be a basic component of ocular immunity and an important aspect of RPE cell transplantation. During the past year, we have studied the interactions of infectious agents with HRPE cells and the subsequent activation of cytokine gene expression. We found that cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of HRPE cells results in the enhanced secretion of the cytokine, IL-6. Northern blot analysis showed enhanced mRNA levels suggesting activation at the transcriptional level. We have previously shown that the HRPE cell may serve as a source of IL-6 in the eye. IL-6 is a proinflammatory cytokine which can be detected within the vitreous during human diseases and can induce uveitis following IL-6 injection. The ability of CMV to trigger IL-6 gene expression and production in RPE cells may identify one of the ways that viruses promote ocular inflammation. Moreover, this mechanism of cytokine production by HRPE cells may be a site of future therapeutic strategies for ocular inflammation.