[Changes of type I collagen and fibronectin expressions on cultured human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts transfected with Smad 7 vector].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate type I collagen and fibronectin expressions in the cultured human Tenon's capsular fibroblasts (HTFs) transfected with Smad 7 vector and to elucidate the possibility of Smad 7 in blocking tissue fibrosis after filtration surgery. METHODS: Nucleofector(TM) was used to transfect Smad 7 vector into HTFs. The expressions of alpha2-type I procollagen (COL1A2) mRNA and fibronectin mRNA were detected by reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR). The concentration of carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP) in culture media was detected by radioimmunoassay. The above mentioned experiments were also detected before and after HTFs stimulated by TGF-beta(2) (10 ng/ml). HTFs and vector-HTFs were used as control groups. RESULTS: Smad 7 was successfully transfected into HTFs evidenced by Smad 7 over expression. The expression of COL1A2 mRNA in Smad 7-HTFs was decreased 40.47% and 37.94%, respectively, when compared with the control HTFs and pCMV5-HTFs group. The PICP concentration of Smad 7-HTFs in the culture medium was decreased 52.10% and 57.35%, respectively, comparing to the two control groups. Furthermore, Smad 7-HTFs attenuated the increase of COL1A2 mRNA expression and PICP concentration of HTFs stimulated by TGF-beta(2). There was no difference in the fibronectin mRNA expressions between Smad 7-HTFs and the two control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Smad 7 reduces the expression of COL1A2 mRNA and the synthesis of type I collagen, but has no effect on fibronectin mRNA expression, which may imply its ability to inhibit tissue fibrosis after filtration surgery.