Dataset Information

AGEs in human lens capsule promote the TGFβ2-mediated EMT of lens epithelial cells: implications for age-associated fibrosis.

ABSTRACT: Proteins in basement membrane (BM) are long-lived and accumulate chemical modifications during aging; advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) formation is one such modification. The human lens capsule is a BM secreted by lens epithelial cells. In this study, we have investigated the effect of aging and cataracts on the AGE levels in the human lens capsule and determined their role in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of lens epithelial cells. EMT occurs during posterior capsule opacification (PCO), also known as secondary cataract formation. We found age-dependent increases in several AGEs and significantly higher levels in cataractous lens capsules than in normal lens capsules measured by LC-MS/MS. The TGFβ2-mediated upregulation of the mRNA levels (by qPCR) of EMT-associated proteins was significantly enhanced in cells cultured on AGE-modified BM and human lens capsule compared with those on unmodified proteins. Such responses were also observed for TGFβ1. In the human capsular bag model of PCO, the AGE content of the capsule proteins was correlated with the synthesis of TGFβ2-mediated α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA). Taken together, our data imply that AGEs in the lens capsule promote the TGFβ2-mediated fibrosis of lens epithelial cells during PCO and suggest that AGEs in BMs could have a broader role in aging and diabetes-associated fibrosis.

SUBMITTER: Raghavan CT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4854921 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

AGEs in human lens capsule promote the TGFβ2-mediated EMT of lens epithelial cells: implications for age-associated fibrosis.

Raghavan Cibin T CT Smuda Mareen M Smith Andrew J O AJ Howell Scott S Smith Dawn G DG Singh Annapurna A Gupta Pankaj P Glomb Marcus A MA Wormstone Ian Michael IM Nagaraj Ram H RH

Aging cell 20160208 3

Proteins in basement membrane (BM) are long-lived and accumulate chemical modifications during aging; advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) formation is one such modification. The human lens capsule is a BM secreted by lens epithelial cells. In this study, we have investigated the effect of aging and cataracts on the AGE levels in the human lens capsule and determined their role in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of lens epithelial cells. EMT occurs during posterior capsule opacific ...[more]

PMID: 26853893

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Project description:Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) can regulate and/or dysregulate lens epithelial cell (LEC) behaviour, including proliferation, fibre differentiation, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Earlier studies have investigated the crosstalk between FGF and TGF-β in dictating lens cell fate, that appears to be dose dependent. Here, we tested the hypothesis that a fibre-differentiating dose of FGF differentially regulates the behaviour of lens epithelial cells undergoing TGF-β-induced EMT. Postnatal 21-day-old rat lens epithelial explants were treated with a fibre-differentiating dose of FGF-2 (200 ng/mL) and/or TGF-β2 (50 pg/mL) over a 7-day culture period. We compared central LECs (CLECs) and peripheral LECs (PLECs) using immunolabelling for changes in markers for EMT (α-SMA), lens fibre differentiation (β-crystallin), epithelial cell adhesion (β-catenin), and the cytoskeleton (alpha-tropomyosin), as well as Smad2/3- and MAPK/ERK1/2-signalling. Lens epithelial explants cotreated with FGF-2 and TGF-β2 exhibited a differential response, with CLECs undergoing EMT while PLECs favoured more of a lens fibre differentiation response, compared to the TGF-β-only-treated explants where all cells in the explants underwent EMT. The CLECs cotreated with FGF and TGF-β immunolabelled for α-SMA, with minimal β-crystallin, whereas the PLECs demonstrated strong β-crystallin reactivity and little α-SMA. Interestingly, compared to the TGF-β-only-treated explants, α-SMA was significantly decreased in the CLECs cotreated with FGF/TGF-β. Smad-dependent and independent signalling was increased in the FGF-2/TGF-β2 co-treated CLECs, that had a heightened number of cells with nuclear localisation of Smad2/3 compared to the PLECs, that in contrast had more pronounced ERK1/2-signalling over Smad2/3 activation. The current study has confirmed that FGF-2 is influential in differentially regulating the behaviour of LECs during TGF-β-induced EMT, leading to a heterogenous cell population, typical of that observed in the development of post-surgical, posterior capsular opacification (PCO). This highlights the cooperative relationship between FGF and TGF-β leading to lens pathology, providing a different perspective when considering preventative measures for controlling PCO.

Dataset Information

AGEs in human lens capsule promote the TGFβ2-mediated EMT of lens epithelial cells: implications for age-associated fibrosis.

Publications

AGEs in human lens capsule promote the TGFβ2-mediated EMT of lens epithelial cells: implications for age-associated fibrosis.

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