NF-κB, iNOS, IL-6, and collagen 1 and 5 expression in healthy and keratoconus corneal fibroblasts after 0.1% riboflavin UV-A illumination

PURPOSE: To analyze the effect of riboflavin UV-A illumination on mRNA and protein expression of healthy (HCFs) and keratoconus human corneal fibroblasts (KC-HCFs), concerning the inflammatory markers NF-κB, iNOS, IL-6, and collagen 1 and 5 (Col 1/Col 5). METHODS: Keratocytes were isolated from healthy (n = 3) and keratoconus (KC) corneas (n = 3) and were cultivated in basal medium with 5% fetal calf serum, which resulted in their transformation into human corneal fibroblasts (HCFs/KC-HCFs). Cells underwent 0.1% riboflavin UV-A illumination for 250 s (CXL). NF-κB, iNOS, IL-6, Col 1, and Col 5 expression was investigated by qPCR and Western blot analysis. IL-6 concentration of the cell culture supernatant and cell lysate was determined by ELISA. RESULTS: In untreated KC-HCFs, NF-κB (p = 0.0002), iNOS (p = 0.0019), Col 1 (p = 0.0286), and Col 5 (p = 0.0054) mRNA expression was higher and IL-6 expression was lower (p = 0.0057), than in healthy controls. In HCFs, CXL led to an increased NF-κB (p = 0.0286) and IL-6 (p = 0.0057) mRNA expression. The IL-6 concentration in the cell culture supernatant was increased in HCFs (p = 0.0485) and KC-HCFs (p = 0.0485) after CXL. CXL increased intracellular IL-6 concentration only in KC-HCFs (p = 0.0357). In the HCF group (p = 0.0286), an increased Col 1 mRNA expression after CXL could be observed. CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed altered gene expression in untreated KC-HCFs compared to untreated HCFs. Riboflavin UV-A illumination affected gene expression only in HCFs. Increased IL-6 concentration in the cell culture supernatant and cell lysate indicate a secondary inflammatory response of HCFs and KC-HCFs to riboflavin UV-A illumination.