Investigation of expression and effects of TGF‑β1 and MMP‑9 in lens epithelial cells of diabetic cataract rats

Abstract

Expressions and effects of transforming growth factor- 1 (TGF-beta1) and matrixmetalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in lens epithelial cells (LECs) of diabetic cataract rats were investigated. A total of 40 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomlydivided into study and control group. Rats in study group were successfullymodeled diabetic cataract rats, and rats in control group were normal rats.Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine positive and negative granulesin cytoplasm, and image proplus image analysis system to calculate the integraloptical density of the average positive area. Quantitative analysis was performedon TGF-beta1 and MMP-9 in LECs of rats in study and control groups at the 2nd and4th weekends. There were no statistically significant differences in length andage between the two groups of rats (P>0.05). Glucose concentration in the bloodof rats in study group after modeling was significantly higher than that beforemodeling (P<0.001), and that after modeling was significantly higher in studygroup than that in control group (P<0.001). The expression of TGF-beta1 proteinin LECs of rats in study group at T2 (the 4th weekend) was significantly higherthan that at T1 (the 2nd weekend) (P<0.001), and that of TGF-beta1 protein wassignificantly higher in study group than that in control group at T1 and T2(P<0.001). The expression of MMP-9 protein in LECs of rats in study group at T2was significantly higher than that at T1 (P<0.001), and that of MMP-9 protein wassignificantly higher in study group than that in control group at T1 and T2(P<0.001). The TGF-beta1 expression was positively correlated with the MMP-9expression in LECs of diabetic cataract rats (r=0.825, P<001). The increasedexpression of MMP-9 and TGF-beta1 may play an important role in the occurrenceand development of diabetic cataract.