Regulation of scleral fibroblast differentiation by bone morphogenetic protein-2

Bone morphogenesis proteins(BMPs) are multi-functional growth factors. They are expressed in retina,retinal pigment epithelium(RPE) and sclera and serve as a regulator in the growth and development of the eye. This article reviewed the chondrogenic potency of the sclera,biochemical and pathological changes of myopic scleral tissue and the differentiation of chondrogenesis by BMP-2. We proposed the hypothesis that BMP-2 can regulate differentiate of scleral fibroblasts and affect the development of myopia.

All-trans retinoic acid increases ARPE-19 cell apoptosis via activation of reactive oxygen species and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways

AIM:To explore the apoptosis of ARPE-19 cells after the treatment with different doses of all-trans-retinoic acid(ATRA).METHODS:ARPE-19 cells were used in the in-vitro experiment.Flow cytometry assay was employed to evaluate the level of reactive oxygen species(ROS)and apoptosis.The effects of ATRA(concentrations from 2.5 to 20μmol/L)on the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)markers in vitro were evaluated by Western blot and realtime quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)assays.The contribution of ROS and ERS-induced apoptosis in vitro was determined by using N-acetyl-L-cysteine(NAC)and Salubrinal,an antagonist of NAC and ERS,respectively.RESULTS:Flow cytometry showed that ATRA significantly increased ARPE-19 cell apoptosis and ROS levels in each group(F=86.39,P<0.001;F=116.839.P<0.001).Western blot and qRT-PCR revealed that levels of CHOP and BIP were elevated in a concentration-dependent pattern after the cells were incubated with ATRA(2.5-20μmol/L).The upregulation of VEGF-A and CHOP induced by ATRA could be inhibited by NAC(antioxidant)and Salubrinal(ERS inhibitor)in vitro.CONCLUSION:ATRA induces the apoptosis of ARPE-19 cells via activated ROS and ERS signaling pathways.

Distribution of bone morphogenetic protein receptors in human scleral fibroblasts cultured in vitro and human sclera

AIM: To investigate the distribution of bone morphogenetic protein receptors (BMPRs) in human scleral fibroblsasts (HSFs) and in human sclera. METHODS: Primary HSFs were cultured in vitro. The mRNA levels of BMP-2 and BMPRs in HSFs were assayed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The protein distributions of BMP-2 and BMPRs in HSFs were further detected by immunocytofluorescence and western blot. Their protein expression was also detected in frozen human posterior scleral sections by immunohistofluorescence. RESULTS: BMP-2 and BMPRs were expressed in both HSFs and human sclera not only at mRNA level but also at protein level. The expressions of BMPRIA and BMPRII were higher than that of BMPRIB in the cytoplasm and cell membrane of HSFs in vitra Western blot further verified the results of immunocytofluorescence. In human sclera, BMP2, BMPR IB and BMPR II were found to be expressed in the cytomatrix of HSF, and weak signal was detected about BMPRIA. CONCLUSION: BMP-2 and all three subtypes of BMPRs were found in HSFs and may play a role in scleral remodeling.