Interleukin-17 expression in murine pressure ulcer tissues

To explore the process of pressure ulcer formation, interleukin (IL)-17 expression levels were observed in a mouse model of pressure ulcers. Twenty mice were divided into experimental and control groups (10 mice per group). A mouse model of pressure ulcers was established by inducing ischemia-reperfusion injury on local tissue in the experimental group. Pressure ulcer tissues in the experimental group and normal mouse tissue in the control group were stained using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and observed using light microscopy. The protein and mRNA expression levels of IL-17, in mouse pressure ulcer tissues from the experimental group and in the normal tissue from the control group, were determined using real-time PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. The mRNA and protein expression levels of IL-17 were compared between the two groups. H&E staining indicated that striated muscle was arranged orderly and cellular structure was intact in the control group, whilst inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in the muscle tissue of the experimental group. The expression levels of IL-17 mRNA were 0.307±0.058 ng in the experimental group and 0.112±0.042 ng in the control group (P<0.05). The expression levels of the IL-17 protein were 0.434±0.097 ng in the experimental group and 0.181±0.040 ng in the control group (P<0.05). IL-17 expression levels were increased in pressure ulcers, which suggests that IL-17 may be associated with pressure ulcers.