title: Lovastatin alters TGF-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in porcine lens epithelial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether lovastatin affects the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in porcine lens epithelial cells (LECs) induced by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β).
  
  
  METHODS
  Porcine LECs were cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) for 24 h. The cultured cells were then exposed or not exposed to lovastatin (10 µM) for 18 h and then stimulated with or not stimulated with TGF-β2 (5 ng/ml) for 24 h. The expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker of myofibroblasts, was determined by real-time PCR, and the expression of α-SMA protein was determined by Western blot. The effect of lovastatin on the expression of the mRNA of collagen type 1 (COL1) was determined by real-time PCR. To assess cell contractility, LECs were cultured in collagen gel with or without pretreatment of lovastatin and exposure of TGF-β2. The longest and shortest diameters of the gels were measured and the area was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure of LECs to TGF-β2 increased the expression of the mRNA and protein of α-SMA and the mRNA of COL1A1. TGF-β2 increased the degree of contraction of collagen gel. These findings indicated that TGF-β2 promoted EMT, and the pretreatment of the LECs with lovastatin blocked these changes induced by TGF-β2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lovastatin inhibits the TGF-β-induced EMT of cultured porcine LECs. This suggests that lovastatin should be considered as a new agent to prevent postoperative complications associated with EMT of LECs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Uchimaru, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Urakami
authors.forename: Daijiro
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kurosaka
authors.forename: Kunifusa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamada
authors.forename: Seishi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tezuka
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishigori
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000235:genetics; D000090602:Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000187:drug effects*; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology*; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013552:Swine; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D024042:Collagen Type I; D000090602:Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2; D008148:Lovastatin