[Insulin-like growth factor-1 induced activation and expression of signal transducers and activators
March 16th, 2008 | by admin |[Insulin-like growth factor-1 induced activation and expression of signal transducers and activators of transcription-3 in scleral fibroblast of guinea pigs]
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) in sclera fibroblast of guinea pigs for understanding whether STAT3 signaling transduction pathway induced by the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was constitutively activated. METHODS: Immunocytochemical staining was used to determine the protein levels of STAT3 and P-STAT3 (activated STAT3) in scleral fibroblasts. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA of STAT3. The effects of IGF-1 on scleral fibroblast proliferation were measured by MTT assay. RESULTS: Immunocytochemical staining and RT-PCR revealed that STAT3 protein and mRNA were over-expressed in the cells which contained constitutively activated STAT3 signaling transduction pathway (t=-6.925, -10.179 and 9.363; P<0.001). The results of MTT showed that IGF-1 induced fibroblasts proliferation significantly at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 10.0 microg/L (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: STAT3 signaling transduction pathway is constitutively activated in the treated scleral cells by IGF-1, suggesting that STAT3 signaling transduction pathway may play a critical role in the occurrence of myopia and sclera remodeling.
Zhu ZC, Zhang JS, Ji XY, Wang YF, Chen Y, Li XJ.
Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.