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ABSTRACT: Background
Fibrosis limits the success of filtering glaucoma surgery. We employed 2D and 3D in vitro models to assess the effects of fluid flow on human tenon fibroblasts (HTF).Methods
HTF were exposed to continuous or pulsatile fluid flow for 48 or 72 h, at rates expected at the transscleral outflow site after filtering surgery. In the 2D model, the F-actin cytoskeleton and fibronectin 1 (FN1) were visualized by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. In the 3D model, mRNA and whole cell lysates were extracted to analyze the expression of fibrosis-associated genes by qPCR and Western blot. The effects of a small-molecule inhibitor of the TGF-β receptor ALK5 were studied.Results
Slow, continuous fluid flow induced fibrotic responses in the 2D and 3D models. It elicited changes in cell shape, the F-actin cytoskeleton, the deposition of FN1 and activated the intracellular TGF-β signaling pathway to induce expression of fibrosis-related genes, such as CTGF, FN1 and COL1A1. ALK5-inhibition reduced this effect. Intermittent fluid flow also induced fibrotic changes, which decreased with increasing pause duration.Conclusions
Slow interstitial fluid flow is sufficient to induce fibrosis, could underlie the intractable nature of fibrosis following filtering glaucoma surgery and might be a target for antifibrotic therapy.
SUBMITTER: Wiedenmann CJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10486805 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Wiedenmann Cornelius Jakob CJ Gottwald Charlotte C Zeqiri Kosovare K Frömmichen Janne J Bungert Emma E Gläser Moritz M Ströble Jeanne J Lohmüller Robert R Reinhard Thomas T Lübke Jan J Schlunck Günther G
Cells 20230904 17
<h4>Background</h4>Fibrosis limits the success of filtering glaucoma surgery. We employed 2D and 3D in vitro models to assess the effects of fluid flow on human tenon fibroblasts (HTF).<h4>Methods</h4>HTF were exposed to continuous or pulsatile fluid flow for 48 or 72 h, at rates expected at the transscleral outflow site after filtering surgery. In the 2D model, the F-actin cytoskeleton and fibronectin 1 (FN1) were visualized by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. In the 3D model, mRNA and w ...[more]