RNA Interference TargetingSnailInhibits the Transforming Growth Factorβ2-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Lens Epithelial Cells

Abstract

Epithelial-msenchymal transition (EMT) contributes to posterior capsule opacification (PCO) type of cataract. Transcription factorsSnailis a key trigger of EMT activated by transforming growth factorβ(TGFβ). This study was done to investigate the effect ofSnailtargeting siRNA on TGFβ2-induced EMT in human lens epithelial cells. TGFβ2 treatment of cultured human epithelial cell line (HLEB3) upregulated the expression ofSnailand the EMT relevant molecules such as vimentin andα-SMA but downregulated the expression of keratin and E-cadherin. After the stimulation of TGFβ2, the HLEB3 cells became fibroblast-like in morphology, and the junctions of cell-cell disappeared. TGFβ2 treatment also enhanced migration ability of HLEB3 cells. TGFβ2-inducedSnailexpression and EMT were significantly inhibited bySnailsiRNA. By analyzing the response characteristics of HLEB3 in TGFβ2-induced EMT model with/withoutSnail-specific siRNA, we concluded thatSnailis an element in the EMT of HLEB3 cells induced by TGFβ2.SnailsiRNA targeting can block the induced EMT and therefore has the potential to suppress the development of PCO.