[Effect of vitamin A palmitate on the synthesis of mucins in cultured conjunctiva].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of vitamin A palmitate on the synthesis of mucins from goblet cells in cultured rabbit conjunctiva.


METHODS
Palpebral conjunctiva was obtained from 12 white rabbits and was cultured in serum-free RCGM 2 which was developed for culture of rabbit corneal epithelial cells. This method eliminated retinol in the serum. High-performance liquid chromatography was used in quantitating N-acetylneuraminic acid contained in the sugar chain as an indicator of mucin content.


RESULTS
Addition of vitamin A palmitate to the cultured medium resulted in significant increase in the amount of N-acetylneuraminic acid in the medium.


CONCLUSIONS
The increase in N-acetylneuraminic acid in the cultured medium suggests that the increase of goblet cells in cultured conjunctiva is related to the synthesis of mucins due to vitamin A. RCGM 2 as a culture medium promises to be useful in evaluating the pharmacological activity of vitamin A. High-performance liquid chromatography facilitated quantitation of mucins in the culture medium.
Kubo
Y
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Arimura
A
A
Nakayasu
K
K
Kanai
A
A
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism*; D004224:Diterpenes; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D009077:Mucins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011817:Rabbits; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
D004224:Diterpenes; D009077:Mucins; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate