Expression and role of PKM2/STAT3 in the pathogenesis of experimental au-toimmune uveitis in mice
10.13389/j.cnki.rao.2025.0161
- VernacularTitle:PKM2/STAT3在实验性自身免疫性葡萄膜炎小鼠中的表达和作用
- Author:
Jinqing LI
1
;
Qiujin ZHANG
;
Liu ZHENG
;
Binbin YANG
;
Juanyuan LIAO
;
Zhixiang DING
Author Information
1. 541000 广西壮族自治区桂林市,桂林医科大学
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
experimental autoimmune uveitis;
autoimmune diseases;
PKM2/STAT3;
mice
- From:
Recent Advances in Ophthalmology
2025;45(12):938-942
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the expression and mechanistic role of the M2-type pyruvate kinase(PKM2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)signaling pathway in the development of experimental autoim-mune uveitis(EAU).Methods Eighteen 4-to 5-week-old C57BL/6J mice were selected and randomly divided into a control group(normal breeding,set as the 0-day state post-modeling),Experimental Group A,and Experimental Group B(both established as stable EAU mouse models using the interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein peptide 651-670,com-plete Freund's adjuvant,and pertussis toxin,designated as the 14-day and 21-day states post-modeling,respectively),with 6 mice in each group.The anterior segment of the mice was observed using a slit-lamp microscope,fundus findings were collected using a fundus camera,and clinical and histopathological scores were evaluated after hematoxylin-eosin stai-ning.The protein expression level of serum interleukin(IL)-17A was detected by ELISA.The expression level of PKM2 protein in retinal tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry.The protein expression levels of PKM2,phosphorylated STAT3(p-STAT3),and STAT3 in mouse retinal tissue were detected by Western blot.Results The clinical scores of the anterior segment and fundus,as well as the retinal histopathological scores in Experimental Group A and Experimental Group B,were all significantly higher than those in the control group(all P<0.05).The serum IL-17A protein expression levels in the control group,Experimental Group A,and Experimental Group B were(69.05±0.45)ng·L-1,(75.06±0.46)ng·L-1,and(72.04±0.82)ng·L-1,respectively.The optical density values of PKM2 protein expression in retinal tissue were(18.51±2.59)%,(37.35±4.67)%,and(29.75±2.17)%,respectively.The expression levels of serum IL-17A protein,retinal PKM2 protein,and retinal STAT3 and p-STAT3 proteins in Experimental Group A and Experimental Group B were all significantly higher than those in the control group(all P<0.05).Conclusion The expression levels of key factors in the PKM2/STAT3 signaling pathway are positively correlated with the severity of EAU,indicating that this sig-naling pathway,as a positive regulator of the immune response,is involved in the pathological process of EAU.