Fucoidan Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy

Abstract

Purpose : Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a severe blinding complication of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is thought to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of PVR. In this study, we investigated the potential effect of Fucoidan on EMT in PVR animal model as well as in cultured human RPE cells line ARPE-19.

Methods : Pigmented rabbits and ARPE-19 cells were employed in this study. PVR animal model was induced in pigmented rabbits on Day 1 with intravitreal injection of primary rabbit RPE cells immediately after removal of 0.1ml of aqueous humor. Fucoidan was administered intravitreally on Day 1 and Day 7; the animal with intravitreal PBS injection served as control. Two weeks later, the fundus was examined.TGF-β1-treated ARPE-19 cells were incubated with or without Fucoidan; 48 hours later, the cells were harvested and the expressions of Fibronectin, α-SMA, E-cadherin and ZO-1 were studied with immunoblotting.

Results : PVR progression was suppressed significantly by Fucoidan compared to that injected with PBS. In vitro, TGF-β1-induced the decrease of E-cadherin and the increase of α-SMA and fibronectin could be reversed by Fucoidan.

Conclusions : The preliminary data showed Fucoidan could ameliorate PVR development via inhibiting EMT of RPE. The detailed mechanisms need further exploration.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.