Mechanism of Proliferation of Cultured Human Corneal Endothelial Cells

Abstract

Because human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs) do not proliferate once the endothelial monolayer has formed, corneal wound healing is believed to be mediated by cell enlargement or migration, rather than by proliferation. However, the cellular mechanisms involved in wound healing by HCECs have not been fully determined. In this review, we focus on the effects of promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF), a DNA-binding transcription factor, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 on the proliferation and migration of cultured HCECs. Involvement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in the migration of HCECs was also investigated. Expression of PLZF mRNA decreased as cell-cell contact was disrupted and returned to the original level as cell-cell contact was re-formed. Assessment with a real-time cell electronic sensing system revealed that proliferation of cultured HCECs was inhibited after infection with Ad-PLZF and exposure to TGF-β2. Migration of cultured HCECs was increased by TGF-β2 through p38 MAPK activation. We conclude that PLZF expression in cultured HCECs is closely related to the formation of cell-cell contact and that TGF-β2 suppresses proliferation of cultured HCECs, while promoting their migration through p38 MAPK activation.