The effect of retinoic acid on thymidine incorporation and morphology of corneal stromal fibroblasts.
The effect of retinoic acid on DNA synthesis and cell morphology was studied using corneal stromal fibroblasts in culture. All-trans retinoic acid induces an increase in DNA synthesis after 24 hours of exposure. Autoradiographic studies of 3H-thymidine incorporation into corneal stromal cells exposed to 10(-6) M retinoic acid for 24 hours showed an increase in labeling which ranged from 19.2% to 67.6% over control cultures. Scintillation analysis of labeled cultures also showed an increase in incorporation of 3H-thymidine into cells treated with 10(-6) M retinoic acid, with increases ranging from 21.8% to 114.7% above control cultures. Exposure of cultured corneal stromal cells to 10(-6) M retinoic acid resulted in a dramatic change in cell morphology such that they changed from spindle-shaped to round, flattened cells which were epithelioid in appearance. These data demonstrate that biological activity of retinoic acid in stromal fibroblasts and imply a role for vitamin A in maintenance of stroma structure and function.
Kirschner
S E
SE
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Ciaccia
A
A
Ubels
J L
JL
D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014212:Tretinoin
D014212:Tretinoin; D004247:DNA; D013936:Thymidine