title: SiRNA targeting EGFR effectively prevents posterior capsular opacification after cataract surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the effect of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) siRNA on human lens epithelium (HLE) cells and the development of posterior capsular opacity (PCO).
  
  
  METHODS
  We designed EGFR siRNA and used it to knockdown the expression of EGFR in HLE cells. Cell proliferation was examined by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), cell growth curve assay and cell cycle analysis. Next, we selected an adaptable concentration of recombinant epidermal growth factor (EGF) for stimulating the growth of HLE cells to further test the suppressive effect of siRNA. At last, we established the model of PCO in rats to further investigate whether knocking down EGFR would prevent the progression of PCO in vivo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cell proliferation of EGFR siRNA group was apparently inhibited no matter in short or long term and cell cycle was arrested in G(1) phase. Over expression EGF cannot rescue the inhibition of EGFR siRNA on HLE cells and the proliferation activity in HLE cells greatly decreased when EGF-EGFR signal pathway blockaded. In vivo experiments, the extent of PCO of EGFR siRNA group is much lower than the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that EGFR siRNA can effectively inhibit the progression of PCO. Thus, siRNA targeting EGFR may provide a totally new way for preventing PCO or even cataract.
authors.affiliation: Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Wan-Rong
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xing-Xing
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D058442:Capsule Opacification / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D010957:Plasmids; D057852:Posterior Capsule of the Lens / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D066246:ErbB Receptors