Abstract:

[Abstract]   Objective   To investigate the effects of all- trans retinoic acid (ATRA)- intragastric- administration on
the survival time of mouse skin allografts and the role of interleukin (IL)-23and IL-17thereof.   Methods    The skin trans-plantation of mice was done by DBA/2as donors and Balb/c as recipients. The recipients were divided randomly into three groups: control group, low-dose group and high-dose group. Mice of the corresponding groups were intragastrically administered corn oil, 10mg/kg ATRA and30mg/kg ATRA respectively from1day before the transplantation to the14th day after  the transplantation. The survival time of transplanted skin was observed after the operations. Skin grafts of mice were harvested for histopathological examination in three groups. The serum levels of IL-23and IL-17were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression levels of IL-23, RORγt and IL-17mRNA in skin allografts were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).   Results   Compared with control group, the average survival time of mouse skin allografts was significantly prolonged in low-dose group and high-dose group (P<0.05). The less lymphocyte infiltration and destruction of architecture were found in the skin biopsies. The serum expression of IL-23protein was lower (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found in two treatment groups. The serum expression levels of IL-17protein were reduced in turn in receptors of control group, low-dose group and high-dose group (P<0.05). The expression levels of IL-23, RORγt and IL-17mRNA in skin grafts were significantly lower in low-dose group and high-dose group than those of control group (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found in two treatment groups.   Conclusion   ATRA can effectively prolong the survival time of skin allografts, which may related with the inhibition of the expression of IL-23, RORγt and IL-17mRNA and the development of IL-23and IL-17protein

Key words: tretinoin, Skin transplantation, interleukin-17, interleukin-23, mice, inbred BALB C, mice, 近交DBA