[Effects of corticosteroid on porcine retinal pigment epithelial cells in culture--1. Inhibitory effect on cell proliferation].
OBJECTIVE
Proliferation is an important function of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. The effect of a corticosteroid on the proliferation of cultured porcine RPE cells was investigated.


METHODS
After administration of various concentrations (10-1,000 nM) of betamethasone sodium phosphate (betamethasone), we counted RPE cell numbers at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 14 days.


RESULTS
Betamethasone administration resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in RPE cell proliferation. The proliferation of the cultured RPE cells was significantly inhibited by betamethasone, at a dose of 300 nM in 9 days. Ten-nM betamethasone neither inhibited nor promoted the RPE cell proliferation in culture.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that corticosteroids inhibit proliferation of cultured porcine RPE cells.
Kawahara
S
S
Department of Ophthalmology, Kansai Medical University, Moriguchi, Japan.
Kishimoto
N
N
Sugasawa
K
K
Uyama
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D013552:Swine
D001623:Betamethasone