June 2023
Volume 64, Issue 8
Open Access
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   June 2023
Isoliquiritigenin inhibits corneal fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation in vitro
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Vanessa Rozo
    Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
  • Noah William Faber
    Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
  • Weinong Song
    Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
  • Rishi Sudhir
    Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
  • Liana Carino Williams
    Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
  • Jennifer Y Li
    Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
  • Sara M Thomasy
    Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
    Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
  • Brian Leonard
    Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships   Vanessa Rozo None; Noah Faber None; Weinong Song None; Rishi Sudhir None; Liana Williams None; Jennifer Li None; Sara Thomasy None; Brian Leonard None
  • Footnotes
    Support  NEI K08 EY028199, University of California Davis SVM Start Up Funds
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 2023, Vol.64, 1708. doi:
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    • Get Citation

      Vanessa Rozo, Noah William Faber, Weinong Song, Rishi Sudhir, Liana Carino Williams, Jennifer Y Li, Sara M Thomasy, Brian Leonard; Isoliquiritigenin inhibits corneal fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation in vitro. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2023;64(8):1708.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract

Purpose : Corneal fibrosis is a leading cause of blindness worldwide resulting from trauma, photorefractive surgery, microbial keratitis, and chemical burns. Unfortunately, there are a lack of therapeutics to treat or prevent corneal fibrosis. This study aimed to determine if isoliquiritigenin (ISO), a small herbal compound shown to have anti-fibrotic properties in other cell types, prevents differentiation of rabbit corneal fibroblasts (RCFs) to myofibroblasts in the presence of TGF-β1, a key cytokine driving transdifferentiation.

Methods : Cell viability (MTT) assays were performed to determine the highest tolerated dose of ISO by the RCFs. Subsequently, RCFs were treated with ISO (10 mM, 25 mM or 50 mM) or vehicle control (EtOH), in absence or presence of TGF-β1 (10 ng/mL). For mRNA/qPCR and protein/western blot analysis, cells were harvested 24-hours and 48-hours after treatment, respectively. Alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) expression (upregulation is consistent with myofibroblast transdifferentiation) was determined by qPCR and western blot analysis, with GAPDH as a housekeeping control.

Results : The MTT results revealed a significant decrease in cell viability in RCFs treated with an ISO concentration of 365 mM and higher. RCFs treated with ISO had a dose dependent inhibition of αSMA mRNA and protein expression in the presence of TGF-β1. Specifically, co-treatment of RCFs with 50 mM ISO and TGF- β1 resulted in a reduction in αSMA mRNA (10-fold) and protein (2-fold) expression, while treatment with 25 mM was less pronounced and treatment with 10mM had no reduction.

Conclusions : Treatment with ISO prevented transdifferentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts in vitro. Future studies will confirm this effect in human corneal fibroblasts in vitro. If successful, ISO may serve as a treatment option to prevent corneal fibrosis.

This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.

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