Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is an anti-apoptotic. anti-inflammatory cytokine with hematopoietic potential The expression and protective actions of IL-11 have not been explored in the eye The expression of IL-11 in primary cultures of human retinal pigment epithelial (HRPE) and human corneal fibroblast (HCRF) cells were evaluated in these studies. Constitutive secretion of IL-11 was not observed in either HRPE or HCRF TNF-alpha + IL-1 induced IL-11 secretion and this production was inhibited by NF kappa B pathway inhibitors. IFN-gamma significantly inhibited TNF-alpha and IL-1 induced IL-11 secretion and inhibitors of JAK-STAT pathway reversed this inhibition TGF-beta induced IL-11 secretion that was blocked by TGF-beta receptor 1 inhibitor but not by IFN-gamma RT-PCR analysis confirmed the effects of IL-1, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and TGF-beta on IL-11 secretion at mRNA levels. Our results demonstrate that IL-11 is dramatically up regulated in retina and cornea cells and that IFN-gamma is a physiological inhibitor of IL-11 expression (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Inc