Antifibrotic effects of sakuraso-saponin in primary cultured pterygium fibroblasts in comparison with mitomycin C

Abstract

PURPOSE. To investigate the antifibrotic effects of sakuraso-saponin on a primary culture of human pterygium fibroblasts (HPFs) and normal human Tenon fibroblasts (HTFs) as compared to the effects of mitomycin C (MMC). METHODS. Samples of HPFs and HTFs were acquired during primary pterygium surgery. Cell toxicity, cell migration, and expression of a-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA) and transforming growth factor-b (TGF-b) were evaluated in HPFs and HTFs after treatment with sakurasosaponin and MMC. To determine the possible mechanisms underlying the antifibrotic effects of sakuraso-saponin, the expression of phosphorylated Smad2/3 was evaluated after treatment with sakuraso-saponin and MMC. RESULTS. MMC (‡200 lg/mL) significantly reduced cell viability in both HPFs and HTFs, whereas sakuraso-saponin (1.0 lg/mL) decreased cell viability in HPFs only. Both sakurasosaponin (1.0 lg/mL) and MMC (200 lg/mL) treatment significantly reduced the expression of a-SMA and TGF-b in HPFs (P < 0.05). It is interesting that the expression of a-SMA and TGF-b after treatment with sakuraso-saponin was significantly lower than that after treatment with MMC (P < 0.05). The expression of phosphorylated Smad2/3 protein was decreased by sakuraso-saponin and MMC in HPFs. Both sakuraso-saponin and MMC inhibited TGF-b1–induced cell migration as compared to the control in HPFs. CONCLUSIONS. Sakuraso-saponin could be more effective than MMC for the reduction of fibrosis in HPFs. Our results might present the basis for its use as a promising candidate drug for adjuvant therapy to prevent recurrent pterygium after surgery.