EARLY CYTOKINE AND CHEMOKINE GENE-EXPRESSION DURING PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA CORNEAL INFECTION IN MICE

Using a multiprobe RNase protection assay, we examined cytokine and ch emokine mRNAs that were expressed after corneal infection with Pseudom onas aeruginosa in mice. Cytokines that were upregulated included inte rleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and -1 beta, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL -6, IL-11, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-macropha ge colony-stimulating factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, st em cell factor, lymphotoxin beta, transforming growth factor beta 1, a nd tumor necrosis factor alpha, Chemokine transcripts that were upregu lated included Eotaxin; gamma-interferon-inducible protein 10; monocyt e chemoattractant protein I; macrophage inflammatory proteins 1 alpha, 1 beta, and 2; and RANTES, Peak expression of these cytokines and che mokines was observed between 1 and 3 days after infection, These respo nses returned to or approached baseline preinfection levels by 7 days after ocular challenge, Identification of the various cytokines and ch emokines upregulated during corneal infection provides important infor mation relevant to unraveling the pathogenesis induced by this bacteri um and provides hope that specific molecules can be targeted for thera py.