TY - JOUR
T1 - Attenuation of EMT in RPE cells and subretinal fibrosis by an RAR-γ agonist
AU - Kimura, Kazuhiro
AU - Orita, Tomoko
AU - Liu, Yang
AU - Yang, Yang
AU - Tokuda, Kazuhiro
AU - Kurakazu, Taishi
AU - Noda, Takeshi
AU - Yanai, Ryoji
AU - Morishige, Naoyuki
AU - Takeda, Atsunobu
AU - Ishibashi, Tatsuro
AU - Sonoda, Koh Hei
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by Takeda Science Foundation. We thank Yukari Mizuno and Shizuka Murata for technical assistance.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
PY - 2015/7/22
Y1 - 2015/7/22
N2 - Abstract: Subretinal fibrosis contributes to the loss of vision associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells play a key role in the pathogenesis of AMD including the fibrotic reaction. We examined the role of retinoic acid receptor-γ (RAR-γ) in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and other fibrosis-related processes in mouse RPE cells cultured in a type I collagen gel. Transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2)–induced collagen gel contraction mediated by the RPE cells was inhibited by the RAR-γ agonist R667 in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Expression of the mesenchymal markers α-smooth muscle actin and fibronectin, the release of interleukin-6, and the phosphorylation of paxillin, mitogen-activated protein kinases (ERK, p38, and JNK), Smad2, and AKT induced by TGF-β2 were also suppressed by the RAR-γ agonist. Furthermore, gelatin zymography and immunoblot analysis revealed that the TGF-β2-induced release of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, and MMP-9 from RPE cells was inhibited by R667, and the MMP inhibitor GM6001 attenuated TGF-β2-induced RPE cell contraction. Finally, immunohistofluorescence analysis with antibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein showed that R667 inhibited the development of subretinal fibrosis in a mouse model in vivo. Our results thus suggest that RAR-γ agonists may prove effective for the treatment of subretinal fibrosis associated with AMD. Key message: RAR-γ agonist R667 suppressed collagen gel contraction mediated by RPE cells.Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in RPE cells was inhibited by RAR-γ agonist R667.RAR-γ agonist R667 inhibited fibrosis-related processes in RPE cells.RAR-γ agonists may attenuate AMD-associated fibrosis.
AB - Abstract: Subretinal fibrosis contributes to the loss of vision associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells play a key role in the pathogenesis of AMD including the fibrotic reaction. We examined the role of retinoic acid receptor-γ (RAR-γ) in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and other fibrosis-related processes in mouse RPE cells cultured in a type I collagen gel. Transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2)–induced collagen gel contraction mediated by the RPE cells was inhibited by the RAR-γ agonist R667 in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Expression of the mesenchymal markers α-smooth muscle actin and fibronectin, the release of interleukin-6, and the phosphorylation of paxillin, mitogen-activated protein kinases (ERK, p38, and JNK), Smad2, and AKT induced by TGF-β2 were also suppressed by the RAR-γ agonist. Furthermore, gelatin zymography and immunoblot analysis revealed that the TGF-β2-induced release of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, and MMP-9 from RPE cells was inhibited by R667, and the MMP inhibitor GM6001 attenuated TGF-β2-induced RPE cell contraction. Finally, immunohistofluorescence analysis with antibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein showed that R667 inhibited the development of subretinal fibrosis in a mouse model in vivo. Our results thus suggest that RAR-γ agonists may prove effective for the treatment of subretinal fibrosis associated with AMD. Key message: RAR-γ agonist R667 suppressed collagen gel contraction mediated by RPE cells.Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in RPE cells was inhibited by RAR-γ agonist R667.RAR-γ agonist R667 inhibited fibrosis-related processes in RPE cells.RAR-γ agonists may attenuate AMD-associated fibrosis.
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U2 - 10.1007/s00109-015-1289-8
DO - 10.1007/s00109-015-1289-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 25947075
AN - SCOPUS:84931572944
SN - 0946-2716
VL - 93
SP - 749
EP - 758
JO - Journal of Molecular Medicine
JF - Journal of Molecular Medicine
IS - 7
ER -