title: Troglitazone induced apoptosis of human pterygium fibroblasts through a mitochondrial-dependent pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of troglitazone on primary culture human pterygium fibroblasts (HPF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell viability loss and apoptosis were quantified by cell counting kit-8, AnnexinV-FITC/PI double staining, caspases activity test and western blotting. Flow cytometry was used to detect mitochondrial membrane potential.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) was positively expressed in pterygium specimens (n=5). Troglitazone showed dose-dependent inhibition of cell survival, induced phospholipids redistribution, activated caspase-3, -9, and altered mitochondrial potential. Western blot assay demonstrated the increase of Bax/Bcl-2 protein ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Troglitazone induced apoptosis of HPF through a mitochondrial-dependent pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xi
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xian-Yin
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jin-Tang
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Xu