Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate the roles of ΔNp63 in the regulation of ATF3-dependent proliferation of corneal epithelial cells.
Methods :
We used cDNA microarray analysis to survey the expression of transcription factors in cultivated corneal epithelial cells, which ectopically expressed ΔNp63. The siRNA and adenovirus vector were designed to change the expression of ΔNp63, and of which the effects on corneal epithelial cells proliferation were examined. Immunoblot was used to examine the expression of ΔNp63, ATF3, p27, keratin14 and integrin β1.
Results :
The ΔNp63-overexpressed corneal epithelial cells exhibited higher levels of ATF3 promoter activity and protein expression. Ectopically expressed ATF3 enhanced the proliferation of corneal epithelial cells and inhibited the expression of p27, however, the si-ATF3 did not obviously affect the expression of keratin14 and integrin β1.
Conclusions :
ΔNp63 enhances the proliferation of corneal epithelial cells through a ATF3-dependent pathway. Suppression of ATF3 inhibits cell proliferation, but nevertheless, does not affect the differentiation of corneal epithelial cells.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.