Background:
Interleukin (IL)-33 is highly expressed in glioblastoma (GBM) and promotes tumor
progression. Targeting IL-33 may be an effective strategy for the treatment of GBM. Dexamethasone (DEX) is a
controversial drug routinely used clinically in GBM therapy. Whether DEX has an effect on IL-33 is unknown.
This study aimed to investigate the effect of DEX on IL-33 and the molecular mechanisms involved.
Methods:
U87MG cells were induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α to express IL-33 and then treated with
DEX. The mRNA levels of IL-33, NF-κB p65, ERK1/2, and p38 were determined by real-time quantitative PCR.
The expression of IL-33, IkBα (a specific inhibitor of NF-κB) and MKP-1 (a negative regulator of MAPK), as
well as the phosphorylation of NF-κB, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK, were detected by Western blotting. The secretion
of IL-33 was measured by ELISA. The proliferation, migration and invasion of U87MG cells were detected by
CCK8 and transwell assays, respectively.
Results:
DEX significantly reduced TNF-α-induced production of IL-33 in U87MG cells, which was dependent
on inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK signaling pathways, and was accompanied by
the increased expression of IkBα but not MKP-1. Furthermore, the proliferation, migration and invasion of
U87MG cells exacerbated by IL-33 were suppressed by DEX.
Conclusion:
DEX inhibited the production and tumor-promoting function of IL-33. Whether DEX can benefit
GBM patients remains controversial. Our results suggest that GBM patients with high IL-33 expression may
benefit from DEX treatment and deserve further investigation.