ABSTRACT
AIM:To investigate the effects of rhTGF-?1 and TGF-?1 gene transfection on the proliferation of cultured rabbit corneal endothelial cells in vitro.METHODS:Cell growth induced by various concentrations of rhTGF-?1 was determined by MTT proliferation assay.Under the induction of liposomes,recombinant pSecTag2-TGF-?1MP vectors were transferred into the corneal endothelial cells.Morphological changes of transfected cells were observed by HE staining.The expression levels of TGF-?1 were assessed by ELISA.Cell cycle analysis was assessed by flow cytometry.DNA fragment analysis was used to confirm the presence of apoptosis.RESULTS:rhTGF-?1 in concentrations of 5-20 ?g/L showed a significant suppressive effect on the proliferation of corneal endothelial cells,0.5-1 ?g/L had no effect,0.05-0.1 ?g/L facilitated cell growth,as compared with negative controls.The morphous of transfected corneal cells had no significant abnormality compared with normal cells.According to the result of ELISA,the concentration of TGF-?1 in the supernatant was calculated to be(98?3)ng/L.Flow cytometry assay showed that S and G2/M phase of transfected cells decreased significantly compared with that of control group,but the cell cycle recovered normally after adding 10 ?g/L EGF into the culture medium.Agarose electrophoresis didn't show marked ladders in transfected group.CONCLUSION:Effects of rhTGF-?1 on the proliferation of corneal endothelial cells are different with various concentrations.TGF-?1 gene transfection shows suppressive effect on the proliferation of cultured corneal endothelial cells,but does not induce cell apoptosis.EGF is the antagonist of this suppressive effect.