The Experimental Study Of The Expression Of Connective Tissue Growth Factor In The Lens Epithelium Cells

ObectiveTo investigate the expression of transforming growth factorβ1 (TGF-β1),connective tissue growth factor (CTGF),collagen typeⅠ(COL-Ⅰ) andα-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) in lens epithelium cells(LECs) of streptozotocin(STZ)-diabetic rats,and the effects of TGF-β1 and CTGF antisense oligonucleotide(ASON) on the expression of CTGF,COL-Ⅰin the culture human lens epithelium cells, and to evaluate the role of TGF-β1,CTGF,COL-Ⅰandα-SMA in the pathogenesis of diabetic cataract.Methods40 SD rats were randomly divided into two groups: normal control and cataract. Diabetic cataract was induced by STZ intraperitoneal injection(70mg/kg in 0.1 mol/L sodium citrate buffer). Lens were examined using a slitlamp once a week. At the end of 8 weeks after STZ injection,eyeballs were isolated.Human lens epitheium cells were isolatedand cultured in vitro. Immunohistochemicalstreptavidin-peroxidases (S-P) method to detect the expression of TGF-β1,CTGF,COL-Ⅰandα-SMA in normal and diabetic LECs. RT-PCR method to detect the effects of TGF-β1 and CTGF ASON on the expression of CTGF and COL-Ⅰin the culture human lens epithelium cells.Results1.The lens of control group were always completely transparent throughout the period of experiment, and the lens of cataract group began to exhibited vacuolar stage by week 2 and floccule by week 4 ,and nearly opacity by week 8.2. TGF-β1 was basic expression in LECs of normal rat;CTGF,COL-Ⅰandα-SMA were not expression in LECs of normal rat.In diabetic cataract, CTGF,COL-Ⅰandα-SMA were highly expression in LECs; The levels of TGF-β1,CTGF,COL-Ⅰand...