ABSTRACT
[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To evaluate the effects of 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on T helper cell 17 ( Th17 cells) and its related cytokines in a mouse model of corneal allograft transplantation.METHODS:C57BL/6 mice were transplanted with corneal grafts from BALB/c mice and treated intraperitoneally with 1.0μg 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or soybean oil every other day after operation.The transparency of the corneal grafts was evaluated for potential rejection signs by slit lamp biomicroscopy and histopathology.The expression levels of IL-17, RORγt and IFN-γin the spleen were measured by real-time PCR.Moreover, the protein expression of RORγt and IL-17 in the peripheral blood was analyzed by Western blotting. IL-17 and IFN-γin peripheral blood were measured by flow cytometry.RESULTS:1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 signifi-cantly inhibited the rejection of the corneal allograft and reduced the numbers of inflammatory infiltrates in the corneal graft. In the spleen, 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 treatment reduced the expression levels of IL-17, RORγt and IFN-γ.In the pe-ripheral blood, 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 treatment downregulated the expression levels of RORγt, IL-17 and IFN-γ. CONCLUSION:The effects of 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on suppressing corneal transplantation-induced allograft rejec-tion in mice are closely associated with its modulation on IL-17 and related cytokine RORγt.