OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accumulation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) at gene and protein levels in lens epithelial cells of anterior subcapsular congenital cataracts (ASCC). DESIGN: Case-control study and analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-six eyes with ASCC were studied, and 14 eyes with transparent lenses were used as controls. METHODS: Anterior epithelium capsules with ASCC were obtained from patients who had undergone extracapsular cataract extraction. The accumulation of TGF-beta1 and bFGF gene and protein was determined by reverse transcription-real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. RESULTS: The results from RT-PCR showed that the accumulation of TGF-beta1 and bFGF mRNA in lens epithelial cells of ASCC was significantly higher compared with controls in both male and female samples. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the accumulation of bFGF mRNA and TGF-beta1 mRNA. Western blotting results demonstrated that the accumulation of TGFbeta1 and bFGF proteins in lens epithelial cells with ASCC was also highly elevated. CONCLUSIONS: The overaccumulation of TGF-beta1 and bFGF in lens epithelial cells may play an important role in the formation of subcapsular congenital cataract.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accumulation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) at gene and protein levels in lens epithelial cells of anterior subcapsular congenital cataracts (ASCC). DESIGN: Case-control study and analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-six eyes with ASCC were studied, and 14 eyes with transparent lenses were used as controls. METHODS: Anterior epithelium capsules with ASCC were obtained from patients who had undergone extracapsular cataract extraction. The accumulation of TGF-beta1 and bFGF gene and protein was determined by reverse transcription-real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. RESULTS: The results from RT-PCR showed that the accumulation of TGF-beta1 and bFGF mRNA in lens epithelial cells of ASCC was significantly higher compared with controls in both male and female samples. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the accumulation of bFGF mRNA and TGF-beta1 mRNA. Western blotting results demonstrated that the accumulation of TGFbeta1 and bFGF proteins in lens epithelial cells with ASCC was also highly elevated. CONCLUSIONS: The overaccumulation of TGF-beta1 and bFGF in lens epithelial cells may play an important role in the formation of subcapsular congenital cataract.
Authors: Bei Liu; Jing Gao; Bo-Chang Lyu; Shan-Shuang Du; Cheng Pei; Zhong-Qiao Zhu; Bo Ma Journal: Int J Ophthalmol Date: 2017-07-18 Impact factor: 1.779