[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.
Department of Ophthalmology, Kansai Medical University, Moriguchi, Japan.
S
S
Kawahara
N
N
Kishimoto
K
K
Sugasawa
M
M
Uyama
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