β-Catenin/Smad3 Interaction Regulates Transforming Growth Factor-β-Induced Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in the Lens.

ABSTRACT: Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Although surgery is a successful method to restore vision loss due to cataracts, post-surgical complications can occur, such as secondary cataracts, also known as posterior capsular opacification (PCO). PCO arises when lens epithelial cells (LEC) are left behind in the capsular bag following surgery and are induced to undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Following EMT, LEC morphology and phenotype are altered leading to a loss of transparency and vision. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-induced signaling through both canonical, TGF-β/Smad, and non-canonical, β-catenin/Wnt and Rho/ROCK/MRTF-A, pathways have been shown to be involved in lens EMT, and thus PCO. However, the interactions between these signaling pathways i

SUBMITTER: Taiyab A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6540099 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature