title: Inhibition of α-smooth muscle actin expression and migration of pterygium fibroblasts by coculture with amniotic mesenchymal stem cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of normal conjunctival tissues is a major reason of pterygium generation; α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) is a maker in EMT. In this study, we investigated if human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) can inhibit α-SMA expression and migration of human pterygium fibroblasts (hPFs) in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Coculture of hAMSCs and hPFs was completed by using a Transwell coculture system. The α-SMA expression of hPFs was detected by immunocytochemistry and western blot analysis. The migration ability of hPFs was measured by means of a migration assay. Immunoreactivity for α-SMA was detected in all pterygium fibroblasts examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of α-SMA in cocultured hPFs was significantly lower than in hPFs. Similar result was demonstrated in western blot analysis. In addition, migration assay showed that hAMSCs reduce the migration of hPFs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggested that hAMSCs have the potential to inhibit the generation and invasiveness of pterygium in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University , Guangzhou , China.
authors.forename: Xiangyin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Lifei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000650:Amnion / Q000166:cytology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D054443:Cell Migration Assays; D002464:Cell Migration Inhibition / Q000502:physiology*; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D011625:Pterygium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: C541116:ACTA2 protein, human; D000199:Actins
keywords: coculture; human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells; human pterygium fibroblasts; migration; α-smooth muscle actin