title: Effects of lentiviral RNA interference-mediated downregulation of integrin-linked kinase on biological behaviors of human lens epithelial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of lentivirus (LV) mediated integrin-linked kinase (ILK) RNA interference (RNAi) on biological behaviors of human lens epithelial cells (LECs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Human cataract LECs and immortalized human LEC line, human lens epithelial (HLE) B-3 cells were transfected by lentiviral vector expressing ILK-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and then stimulated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), the silencing of ILK gene and protein was identified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot methods; biological behaviors including cell cycle and apoptosis, cell morphology, α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) stress fiber formation and cell migration were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Remarkable decreases of ILK protein expression were detected in LECs carrying lentiviral ILK-shRNA vector; flow cytometry revealed arresting of cell cycle progression through the G1/S transition and higher apoptosis rate in ILK-RNAi-LV transfected cells. Less α-SMA stress fiber formation and migration was observed in ILK-RNAi-LV transfected LECs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrated that ILK was an important regulator for LECs proliferation and migration. LV mediated ILK RNAi is an effective way to decrease ILK-regulated cell growth by arresting cell cycle progression and increasing cell apoptosis, as well as, to prevent cell migration by inhibiting TGF-β induced α-SMA stress fiber formation. Thus, LV mediated ILK RNAi might be useful to prevent posterior capsular opacification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tangdu Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Shao-Bo
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an 710068, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an 710068, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an 710068, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Yao
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Zhi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Ding-Ying
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Liao
keywords: Lentivirus; RNA interference; human lens epithelial cells; integrin-linked kinase; posterior capsular opacification