Abstract
BackgroundConjunctival filtering bleb scar formation is the main reason for the failure of glaucoma filtration surgery. Cytoglobin (Cygb) has been reported to play an important role in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, fibrosis and tissue damage repairing. This study aimed to investigate the role of Cygb in anti-scarring during excessive conjunctival wound healing after glaucoma filtration surgery.MethodsCygb was overexpressed in human tenon fibroblasts (hTFs) by transfecting hTFs with lentiviral particles encoding pLenti6.2-FLAG-Cygb. Changes in the mRNA and protein levels of fibronectin, collagen I, collagen III, TGF-β1, and HIF1α were determined by RT-PCR and western blotting respectively.ResultsAfter Cygb overexpression, hTFs displayed no significant changes in visual appearance and cell counts compared to controls. Whereas, Cygb overexpression significantly decreased the mRNA and protein expression levels of collagen I, collagen III and fibronectin compared with control (p < 0.01). There was also a statistically significant decrease in the mRNA and protein levels of TGF-β1 and HIF-1α in hTFs with overexpressed Cygb compared with control group (p < 0.05).ConclusionOur study provided evidence that overexpression of Cygb decreased the expression levels of fibronectin, collagen I, collagen III, TGF-β1 and HIF-1α in hTFs. Therefore, therapies targeting Cygb expression in hTFs may pave a new way for clinicians to solve the problem of post-glaucoma surgery scarring.
Highlights
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, besides, the blindness caused by glaucoma is irreversible [1]
A previous study showed that human tenon fibroblasts, an undifferentiated mesenchymal cell type found in the connective tissue of the conjunctiva, play an important role in the process of scarring post Glaucoma filtering surgery (GFS) [3]
Postoperative filtering bleb scars result from fibroblast proliferation and subconjunctival fibrosis characterized by cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation, excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and deposition, free radical accumulation, as well as local inflammation characterized by the presence of various cytokines, such as transforming growth factor (TGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor [15, 16]
Summary
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, besides, the blindness caused by glaucoma is irreversible [1]. Glaucoma filtering surgery (GFS) is considered as an effective treatment for glaucoma, but postoperative filtering bleb scar formation often leads to surgical failure. Prevention of scarring post glaucoma surgery has become an important subject of study in ophthalmology. A previous study showed that human tenon fibroblasts (hTFs), an undifferentiated mesenchymal cell type found in the connective tissue of the conjunctiva, play an important role in the process of scarring post GFS [3]. HTFs may have important significance in inhibiting filtering bleb scar formation post GFS. Conjunctival filtering bleb scar formation is the main reason for the failure of glaucoma filtration surgery. This study aimed to investigate the role of Cygb in anti-scarring during excessive conjunctival wound healing after glaucoma filtration surgery
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