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Characterization of hydrogen sulfide toxicity to human corneal stromal fibroblasts.

ABSTRACT: Hydrogen sulfide gas (H₂ S) is a chemical weapon and a common environmental pollutant. H₂ S intoxication is lethal to humans and animals. H₂ S contact to the eye can cause vision loss. However, the molecular mechanisms associated with H₂ S toxicity to the cornea remain unclear, and no specific therapy exists to mitigate ocular damage from H₂ S. Here, we report H₂ S-induced cytotoxicity and the parameters contributing to the molecular mechanisms associated with corneal toxicity using primary human corneal stromal fibroblasts (hCSFs) in vitro. Sodium hydrosulfide (NaSH) was used as a source of H₂ S, and the cytotoxicity of H₂ S was determined by treating hCSF cells with varying concentrations of NaSH (0-10 mM) for 0-72 hours. Changes in cell proliferation, oxidative stress factors, and the expression of inflammatory and fibrotic genes were studied using standard commercial kits and qRT-PCR. NaSH exposure to hCSFs showed dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity. The IC₅₀ of NaSH was determined to be 5.35 mM. NaSH 5.35 mM exposure led to significantly decreased cytochrome c oxidase activity, increased ROS production, and increased expression of inflammatory and fibrotic genes in hCSF cells. H₂ S/NaSH exposure alters normal mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, and inflammatory and fibrotic gene responses in corneal stromal fibroblasts in vitro.

SUBMITTER: Balne PK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9250278 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Purpose: Inhibitor of differentiation (Id) proteins are helix-loop-helix (HLH) transcriptional repressors that modulate a range of developmental and cellular processes, including cell differentiation and cell cycle mobilization. The inhibitor of differentiation 3 (Id3) gene, a member of the Id gene family, governs the expression and progression of transforming growth factor beta (TGF?)-mediated cell differentiation. In the face of mechanical, chemical, or surgical corneal insults, corneal keratocytes differentiate into myofibroblasts for wound repair. Excessive development or persistence or both of myofibroblasts after wound repair results in corneal haze that compromises corneal clarity and visual function. The objective of this study was to investigate whether Id3 overexpression in human corneal stromal fibroblasts governs TGF?-driven cellular differentiation and inhibits keratocyte to myofibroblast transformation.Methods: Primary human corneal stromal fibroblast (h-CSF) cultures were generated from donor human corneas. Human corneal myofibroblasts (h-CMFs) were produced by growing h-CSF in the presence of TGF?1 under serum-free conditions. The Id3 gene was cloned into a mammalian expression vector (pcDNA3 mCherry LIC cloning vector), and the nucleotide sequence of the vector constructs was confirmed with sequencing as well as through restriction enzyme analysis. The Id3 mammalian overexpression vector was introduced into h-CSFs using a lipofectamine transfection kit. The expression of Id3 in selected clones was characterized with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), immunocytochemistry, and western blotting. Phase contrast microscopy and trypan blue exclusion assays were used to evaluate the effects of the transfer of the Id3 gene on the hCSF phenotype and viability, respectively. To analyze the inhibitory effects of the Id3 gene transfer on TGF?-induced formation of h-CMFs, expression of the mRNA and protein of the myofibroblast marker alpha smooth muscle actin (?-SMA) was examined with qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunocytochemistry. Student t test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Bonferroni adjustment for repeated measures were used for statistical analysis.Results: The results indicate that Id3 overexpression does not alter the cellular phenotype or viability of h-CSFs. Overexpression of the Id3 gene in h-CSF cells grown in the presence of TGF?1 under serum-free conditions showed a statistically significant decrease (76.3±4.3%) in ?-SMA expression (p<0.01) compared to the naked-vector transfected or non-transfected h-CSF cells. Id3-transfected, naked-vector transfected, and non-transfected h-CSF cells grown in the absence of TGF?1 showed the expected low expression of ?-SMA (0-5%). Furthermore, Id3 overexpression statistically significantly decreased TGF?-induced mRNA levels of profibrogenic genes such as fibronectin, collagen type I, and collagen type IV (1.80±0.26-, 1.70±0.35- and 1.70±0.36-fold, respectively; p<0.05) that a play role in stromal matrix modulation and corneal wound healing. Results of the protein analysis with western blotting indicated that Id3 overexpression in h-CSF cells effectively slows TGF?-driven differentiation and formation of h-CMFs. Results for subsequent overexpression studies showed that this process occurs through the regulation of E2A, a TATA box protein.Conclusions: Id3 regulates TGF?-driven differentiation of h-CSFs and formation of h-CMFs in vitro. Targeted Id3 gene delivery has potential to treat corneal fibrosis and reestablish corneal clarity in vivo.

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Characterization of hydrogen sulfide toxicity to human corneal stromal fibroblasts.

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