title: Functional characteristics of connective tissue growth factor on vitreoretinal cells.
abstract: Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) level is elevated in eyes with proliferative vitreoretinal diseases, such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), as we previously reported, but its functional characteristics on vitreoretinal cells are yet to be clarified. In this study, we demonstrated a growth-promoting effect of CTGF on cultured hyalocytes and bovine retinal pigment epithelial cells (BRPEs) with the induction of p44/p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation and [(3)H]thymidine incorporation. CTGF also stimulated the synthesis of fibronectin by hyalocytes and BRPEs without significant effect on collagen gel contraction by these cells. On the other hand, CTGF had no direct effects on the proliferation, migration, or in vitro tube formation by vascular endothelial cells. Nevertheless, CTGF promoted vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression by hyalocytes and BRPEs. Although the concentrations of both CTGF and VEGF in the human vitreous samples with proliferative vitreoretinal diseases were elevated, there was no significant correlation between these concentrations. These findings indicate that CTGF appears to be involved in the formation of proliferative membranes without direct regulation of their cicatricial contraction in the pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinal diseases. Whereas CTGF might have no direct effects or minimal effects, if any, on retinal neovascularization, it is possible that CTGF has indirect effects by modulating the expression of VEGF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi, Higashi-Ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Muneki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Shintaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Tatsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014471:Umbilical Veins; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C526317:CCN2 protein, human; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D003094:Collagen; D004247:DNA; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D013936:Thymidine